v9.1 HW 54460 AGENCY : RECORD NUMBER : RECORD SERIES : AGENCY FILE NUMBER : ORIGINATOR : FROM: TO: TITLE: DATE: PAGES: SUBJECTS : DOCUMENT TYPE : CLASSIFICATION : RESTRICTIONS : CURRENT STATUS : DATE OF LAST REVIEW : OPENING CRITERIA : COMMENTS : DoclId: 32330472 JFK Assassination System Date: 6/1/2015 Identification Form Agency Information Peleased under the John Kennedy assassination Records FBI 124-90090-10135 Ollection Act of 1992 HQ '  |i44 Sc 2107 Note). asef#: NW 54460 Date: 1O-O4-2017 105-84265-59 Document Information oo r FBI BELMONT PARSONS 04/07/1960 3 ROLANDO MASFERRER JUAN FERNANDEZ DE CASTRO RODRIGUEZ PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT .- Unclassified 4 Redact 07/15/1998 INDEFINITE MEMO Page 1
Trotter UNITED STATES GOVEFS;MENT ae M emorandum | nd To : MR, PARSONS pate. 4/7/60 DECLASSIFIED | BY Mr. Donahoe Mr. Cotter SUBJECT: 6h 0.24 afap- . me JUAN DE CASTRO RODRIGUEZ, et ali, ROLANDO MASFERRER, Victim Internal Security - Cuba KIDNAPING . W.C. Sullivan . , - hy cc Mr e Parsons: tee Room | : . ngram a FROM :. A. H. Belmont Spf ne 4 met dust Mr. Belmont Gandy { a On the afternoon of 4/6/60, Assistant AG Wi Keay of the Criminal Division called re this case. He said that on 2/11 or 12/60, Judge Choate in Miami conferred with USA Madsen and an FBI agent,. and subsequently reduced the bond of the two subjects in this case from $30,000 to $5,000. Mr. Wilkey noted that, by memorandum of 1/27/60 we advised the Department that there was | .@ possibility that if the two subjects were not kept in jail; they would depart for | Cuba. Wilkey noted that the two subjects: are now in Cuba, inasmuch as they met the lower bail. Mr. Wilkey wanted to know whether, at the time the bail was reduced, the FBI; had rendered an opinion that it would be desirable to reduce ‘the bail in order that the subjects could get out of jail, beaYing | in mind that one of the subjects is .an FBI informant, and from an intelligence standpoint he could produce after he left jail. te I told Mr. Wilkey that we would not ordinarily express opinions in mattérs of bail or prosecution, but that I would like to check and find out just what happened here. vet ead a I checked with SAC Teague in Miami. He said that, in accordance with Bureau instruétions, SA George Davis advised USA Madsen on 1/29/60 (2 days after the subjects were apprehended) that one of the subjects had been an FBI informant, and the USA was being so informed, as the matter could well come out during the trial. The USA said he would like to think this matter over, and might request an agent to accompany him later to see the Judge, as ,the Judge should know of the informant status of one. aD the subjects x) ae, REC. 2 (AS SHG SF On 2/12/60 the aed Agen Davis’ t reas to’see him, and the two of them went together to the chambers of ‘Judge Choate The USA advised the: Judge that one of the subjects had, been an & tod Oe see reap eon bf gay ghe” a : anv fog, ‘ ig afl ana dem - See NOTE. Pa 3 10 APR 13 1960 ie Se ae | 2 ae eee emp Ali nc a ne en ce tN voy BY 9 PRES ~196¢ HW 54460 Docld:32330472 Page 2? i 7 : , : ene
| | - conning oe Loo, \ eye ~ Mr. Parsons FBI informant, and that Agent Davis could furnish the details. Davis told, the Judge that the informant, MM 635-S, had been coopera- ting with the Bureau for a considerable period of time prior to his arrest, and had been an effective paid informant. The Judge asked if the informant could be used again in view of his arrest. Davis told him that we woyid try to continue to use him if the opportunity presented itself. V6 Uy) According to Teague, neither Agent Davis, nor the USA, made any recommendation to the Judge regarding possible leniency, or reduction in the bond, either directly or by inference. The , Judge said that he had recently had a case brought before him regarding Rolando Masferrer and his brother, wherein Immigration: and Naturalization Service wanted to exclude these individuals. The Judge said he wanted to fair and objective; that if he decided the Masferrers should be excluded, this could be constructed as favorable to the Castro government. On the other hand, if he took action against E two Cuban defendants in this case, this would be inconsistent with granting an exclusion order against the Masferrers. The Judge said he wanted: to consider the case involving the exclusion order first, -and would wait to act on the kKidnaping case. The Judge said he would consider reducing bail for the two defendants, if the defense attorney so requested. USA Madsen said he would work this out with the Defense Attorney. I called Mr. Wilkey back and advised him of the above. -I pointed out that, as I had previously indicated, it was not in the. -!province of. the Bureau to make recommendations as to bonds, or whether a man should stay in jail, and that no such opinion was expressed by the Bureau in this case. I asked Wilkey what he had in mind. He said that he knew this was the Bureau policy and he was trying to satisfy himself as to what caused the reduction in bail, and whether it was better for these defendants to remain in Cuba, or whether the Department should try to bring them back and try them. He asked if the Bureau had an opinion on this from an intelligence standpoint. I told him we did not; that while we would receive any information that this informant sent to us, we would make no request that the trial be held up, or that the Department hold up on any attempts to get the defendants out of Cuba. u) cone erin eracepeneteenereme = ST HW 54460 Docld:32330472 Page 3 man