Owens - Dont Shoot! Were Republicans!: Memoirs of the FBI Agent Who Did Things His Way

Memoirs of an FBI Agent
Who Did Things His Own Way

Jack Owens

Copyright 2009 by Jack Owens

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording, or otherwisewithout prior
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Published in the United States by
History Publishing Company
Palisades, New York

LCCN: 2009925524
ISBN-13: 978-1-933909-67-7
ISBN-10: 1-933909-67-6
SAN: 850-5942

Owens, Jack, 1944 Nov. 19

Dont shoot! : were Republicans! : memoirs of an FBI agent who did things his own way / Jack Owens.
p. cm.
Includes index.
LCCN 2009925524
ISBN-13: 9781933909677
ISBN-10: 1933909676

1. Owens, Jack,--1944 Nov. 19- 2. United States. Federal Bureau of Investigation--Officials and employees --Biography. 3. United States. Federal Bureau of Investigation.--History--20th century. 4. Criminal investigation--United States. I. Title.

HV7911.O94A3 2009 363.25092

QBI09-600092

Printed in the United States on acid-free paper

9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

First Edition

DEDICATION

To my wife, Patricia, the love and anchor of my life. Her devotion and understanding made it possible for me to disappear into the Bureau or into a writing pad. She was always there when I came back. Her passion is my lifeline.

I am deeply grateful to Don Bracken, my publisher, for his fearless sense of humor and faith in me. He saw a book where others would not tread.

My steadfast and artful editor, Leslie Price Hayes, saved me from myself, smoothly untangling the knots and bedlam that I threw in the path of the reader. She gracefully put her foot down precisely where it was needed.

I am indebted to Arthur Deutcsh and Theron Raines for their encouragement and wise counsel over many years. Claire Gerus, my Arizona buddy, believed that another book about the FBI was not one too many. In San Francisco, Jeevan Sivasubramaniam was never too busy to accept my calls or second my efforts.

My dearest friends and FBI colleagues, Leon Sizemore and Luther Brannon, always had my back and shared many of the adventures in this book. We broke a lot of bread together and never took ourselves too seriously. They appeared early in my career and never left. They shared my belief that the best meal was right after an arrest. There are no finer gentlemen or more accomplished agents.

Bob Sligh taught me the back roads and intrigues of counterintelligence. He was decisive and brilliant, with unfailing judgement and instincts. A mentor of the highest order, and a solid infield glove.

My former neighbor and SWAT team leader, Starley Carr, shaped every crisis with a calm and steady hand. I would not rappel until he secured my gear. Which gave me a start the time he laughed as I backed over the edge.

Others ran the Bureau marathon with me, always supportive. Of the many, here are a few: Jeanette Banks, Alvin Berry, Peter Bodkin, Jim Brandt, Steve Brannan, Bill Branon, Jimmie Brown, Barbara Brown, Billy Bryan, John Bochnak, Michael Byrne, Bob Bunch, Jackie Carrico, Sidney Caspersen, Sherolynne Coachman, Roel Carranza, Beau Coleman, John Colvin, Ben Cumbie, Ashley Curry, Craig Dahle, Lonnie Davis, Will Deffenbaugh, Richard Deslauriers, Lill Dill, Frank Evans, William Fleming, Danny Garnett, Gregg Gilliland, Frank Grider, Don Groghan, Oliver Halle, David Heaven, Beverly Holder, Lucy Hoover, Douglas Hudgel, Gwynne Hupfer, Dave Jernigan, Paul Johnson, Jane Koshutko, Gerald Kelley, Al King, Ronald Klug, Bob Kuykendall, Mandy Lavender, Lee Leggett, Mel Leigeber, Larry Long, Margaret Long, Roy Long, Mary Jo Lorino, Jeff MacDonald, Kevin McPartland, Bill Malone, Wayne Manis, David Martin, Patsy Martin, Tammy Mathis, Lorenza Moore, Tom Moore, G. Wray Morse, Jim Morton, Cecil Moses, Bob Nelson, Betty Norris, Tina OConnor, Ginger Odom, Pete Odom, Steve Odom, George Pare, Chuck Pierce, Richard Procop, Jim Procopio, Paula Ragusa, Marshall Riddlehoover, Glenn Rotenberry, Bob Rolen, Frances Self, Paul Shea, Bill Sievers, Alton Sizemore, Frank Slapikas, Kelli Sligh, Herb Smith, Gary Steger, Larry Sylvester, Bill Temple, Bill Teigen, Lloyd Warnken, Dale Watson, Brenda Williams, Lynn Williford, Eric Wilson, Tom Wiseman, Don Wright, and Billy Yessick.

Like every successful organization, the Bureau produces men and women with moxie, pluck, and vision. Such were the leaders who shaped and nurtured my career: Ralph Miles, Lewis Barnett, and William Westberg. Although I recruited Janice Windham into the FBI and had more experience as an agent, she became my supervisor and a damn fine one. Courageously, she did not shrink from putting her stamp on her more senior charges.

The Denver FBI tempered my impetuous flights as a first office agent, while twenty-nine years in my beloved Birmingham added the seasoning that I cherish. To the Bureau men and women in Colorado and Alabama, I salute you.

Former Birmingham police officers Earl Melton and Joe Warden, and former Birmingham Chief of Police, James Parsons, unselfishly devoted all of their considerable savvy and street experience to making an FBI venture successful. They taught me a great deal, and I treasure their friendship and the years we worked and played together.

Federal, state, county, and local law enforcement in Colorado and Alabama kept their doors open and their hands outstretched during my entire career. They gave me far more than I gave them. Thank you.

My children provided the love and sanctuary that I needed away from law enforcement. In order of their arrival: Brett, Duane, Deke, Stacey, Laura, and Molly. They enriched my life beyond measure, and did not hesitate when I signaled them to steal home into the teeth of a waiting catcher. Their mothers have never forgiven me.

My daughter-in-law, Corinne, and sons-in-law, Warren and Clay, did not take away my children. Instead, they gave me another daughter and two more sons.

Always in my thoughts are my grandchildren, Rachel, Allyson, Slayton, Dylan, McCabe, Allen, and Mary Helen. They think that Im wise and all knowing. They are not yet old enough to know better.

I raise a glass in tribute to my irreverent mates in New Agents Class #17, 1969, and our dauntless counselors, Charles Parkis and Fred Brown. Humor and love of the Bureau bound us together far more than fifth floor commandments.

Finally, in memory of my brother, Bob Owens, who was my better in every respect save longevity, and Bob Rogers, a peerless FBI Irishman whose scorn I feel whenever Im tempted to take an elevator instead of the stairs. They are missed with every sun.

It is a good thing that Jack Owens has written a book about himself. I have always felt that he should be a character in a booknow he is.

I came to know Jack Owens when we moved in across the hall from each other in the new mens dorm at Concord College in 1962. I was a sophomore and Jack was a freshman. We were teammates on the 1962-63 Concord College Mountain Lion football team. That team became the first West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Champion football team in the history of Concord College. This was the first of many victories that would mark Jacks life, Dont Shoot! Were Republicans! is only the most recent.

It is not surprising to me that Jack became a law enforcement officer. Neither would I have been surprised if he had decided to be an IBM computer salesman. He just has that look about himgreat smile, short hair (at least it was in those days), a winning personality, and looks good in a white shirt and dark suit. The FBI was a great fit for him.