Basement Tapes Destroyed

JeffCo is really shady. Don't trust them.

And if they were destroyed, then f*ck JeffCo.

eldigato wrote:

And if they were destroyed, then f*ck JeffCo.

My exact thoughts on Jeffco as well!

Cullen does say in his book that when all the evidence was progressively being released that a federal judge ordered Jeffco to hand over its key evidence including the Basement Tapes so they could be secured in a federal courthouse. Maybe they're still there?

CVA's new youtube vid on this topic for those who haven't already seen it.

ShadowedGoddess wrote:

CVA's new youtube vid on this topic for those who haven't already seen it.

I never realized the rest of the families wanted them released. I don’t think the Harris’s saw them/cared at that point.

The only person who didn’t want them released was Sue. More than likely because of Dylan’s behavior.

The leak doesn’t seem too bad, I’ve always liked Dylan’s “Jesus you’re on a roll”

Screamingophelia wrote:

ShadowedGoddess wrote:

CVA's new youtube vid on this topic for those who haven't already seen it.

I never realized the rest of the families wanted them released. I don’t think the Harris’s saw them/cared at that point.

The only person who didn’t want them released was Sue. More than likely because of Dylan’s behavior.

The leak doesn’t seem too bad, I’ve always liked Dylan’s “Jesus you’re on a roll”

I can only hope that someday, somehow they will be leaked/released.

ShadowedGoddess wrote:

Screamingophelia wrote:

ShadowedGoddess wrote:

CVA's new youtube vid on this topic for those who haven't already seen it.

I never realized the rest of the families wanted them released. I don’t think the Harris’s saw them/cared at that point.

The only person who didn’t want them released was Sue. More than likely because of Dylan’s behavior.

The leak doesn’t seem too bad, I’ve always liked Dylan’s “Jesus you’re on a roll”

I can only hope that someday, somehow they will be leaked/released.

Can they be any worse than the 911 call that was leaked, the one where we heard Val?

Screamingophelia wrote:

ShadowedGoddess wrote:

Screamingophelia wrote:

ShadowedGoddess wrote:

CVA's new youtube vid on this topic for those who haven't already seen it.

I never realized the rest of the families wanted them released. I don’t think the Harris’s saw them/cared at that point.

The only person who didn’t want them released was Sue. More than likely because of Dylan’s behavior.

The leak doesn’t seem too bad, I’ve always liked Dylan’s “Jesus you’re on a roll”

I can only hope that someday, somehow they will be leaked/released.

Can they be any worse than the 911 call that was leaked, the one where we heard Val?

I doubt they would be.

ShadowedGoddess wrote:

Screamingophelia wrote:

ShadowedGoddess wrote:

Screamingophelia wrote:

ShadowedGoddess wrote:

CVA's new youtube vid on this topic for those who haven't already seen it.

I never realized the rest of the families wanted them released. I don’t think the Harris’s saw them/cared at that point.

The only person who didn’t want them released was Sue. More than likely because of Dylan’s behavior.

The leak doesn’t seem too bad, I’ve always liked Dylan’s “Jesus you’re on a roll”

I can only hope that someday, somehow they will be leaked/released.

Can they be any worse than the 911 call that was leaked, the one where we heard Val?

I doubt they would be.

Lots of cringe, the boys acting tough and a single man tear.

Screamingophelia wrote:

ShadowedGoddess wrote:

Screamingophelia wrote:

ShadowedGoddess wrote:

Screamingophelia wrote:

ShadowedGoddess wrote:

CVA's new youtube vid on this topic for those who haven't already seen it.

I never realized the rest of the families wanted them released. I don’t think the Harris’s saw them/cared at that point.

The only person who didn’t want them released was Sue. More than likely because of Dylan’s behavior.

The leak doesn’t seem too bad, I’ve always liked Dylan’s “Jesus you’re on a roll”

I can only hope that someday, somehow they will be leaked/released.

Can they be any worse than the 911 call that was leaked, the one where we heard Val?

I doubt they would be.

Lots of cringe, the boys acting tough and a single man tear.

Indeed, the saltiest man tear ever cried.

ShadowedGoddess wrote:

Screamingophelia wrote:

ShadowedGoddess wrote:

Screamingophelia wrote:

ShadowedGoddess wrote:

Screamingophelia wrote:

ShadowedGoddess wrote:

CVA's new youtube vid on this topic for those who haven't already seen it.

I never realized the rest of the families wanted them released. I don’t think the Harris’s saw them/cared at that point.

The only person who didn’t want them released was Sue. More than likely because of Dylan’s behavior.

The leak doesn’t seem too bad, I’ve always liked Dylan’s “Jesus you’re on a roll”

I can only hope that someday, somehow they will be leaked/released.

Can they be any worse than the 911 call that was leaked, the one where we heard Val?

I doubt they would be.

Lots of cringe, the boys acting tough and a single man tear.

Indeed, the saltiest man tear ever cried.

Eric’s feels are real.

I said this many times before, I can almost promise you the FBI has a digitized copy probably sitting in a dusty box. Also, I don't think someone in jeff co making a copy for themselves before they were destroyed is out of the realm of possibility.

slippy123 wrote:

I said this many times before, I can almost promise you the FBI has a digitized copy probably sitting in a dusty box.

Oh almost definitely, but they'll never release them.

When the court unseals documents in the future, if Jeffco is lying about the tapes being destroyed, would we see them released?

hvernon wrote:

When the court unseals documents in the future, if Jeffco is lying about the tapes being destroyed, would we see them released?

Probably not.

I am more concerned about the way they store these.
The videotapes are going to be demagnetified soon and digitized copies means either magnetic storage again or a CD, which also does not survive so long.

About the tapes, I think the basement tapes are probably the last, huge missing chunk of us [researchers] personal archive and I don't see any real reason for them not to be released - hypothetically. No need for the 911 call and such, because I don't think I'd like them, but on the other hand, there is equally / much more cruel stuff on Youtube (The Kyle Dinkheller shooting available on Youtube in 1998 still gets me irritated and disgusted every single time!!)

However, the basement tapes... Is it really that much more worse than Rampart Range? With all the sounds of the weapons that can cause PTSD to anyone involved in gunfights or the "entry, exit" commentary when imagine hitting a "soft target"?

Also, I might repeat myself, but there is a German documentary on a radio station called WDR as far as I remember, and while the narrator talks, there is the library 911 call to be heard. And I think the WDR has a full copy of that call in order to create a documentary - probably requiring them to make it a shocking, "Let's never make it happen again" style of documentation and regie, because it being used to emphasize the cruelty - and it really does its job. Now of course it might be one of the 1,000 snippets flying around the web that I have not heard, but to me, the segment that's played underneath the narrator gave me goosebumps.

It also shocks me that Rampart Range was released and not the basement tapes. There’s been a lot of speculation about and all this is speculation right now. It took me a long time to watch rampart range. I did not mind any of the other videos. I really couldn’t bring myself to watch them fire the actual guns, and when I watched it I got this really angry at Mark Manes.

Screamingophelia wrote:

It also shocks me that Rampart Range was released and not the basement tapes. There’s been a lot of speculation about and all this is speculation right now. It took me a long time to watch rampart range. I did not mind  any of the other videos. I really couldn’t bring myself to watch them fire the actual guns, and when I watched it I got this really angry at Mark Manes.

They also released Hitmen for Hire too, which IMO was a really questionable decision considering it was a school project that doesn't help at all in understanding who  Eric and Dylan were.

QuestionMark wrote:

Screamingophelia wrote:

It also shocks me that Rampart Range was released and not the basement tapes. There’s been a lot of speculation about and all this is speculation right now. It took me a long time to watch rampart range. I did not mind  any of the other videos. I really couldn’t bring myself to watch them fire the actual guns, and when I watched it I got this really angry at Mark Manes.

They also released Hitmen for Hire too, which IMO was a really questionable decision considering it was a school project that doesn't help at all in understanding who  Eric and Dylan were.

True, The student films were just them acting. And they also made them look extremely human. Doesn’t do anything for people to not empathize with them.

Screamingophelia wrote:

QuestionMark wrote:

Screamingophelia wrote:

It also shocks me that Rampart Range was released and not the basement tapes. There’s been a lot of speculation about and all this is speculation right now. It took me a long time to watch rampart range. I did not mind  any of the other videos. I really couldn’t bring myself to watch them fire the actual guns, and when I watched it I got this really angry at Mark Manes.

They also released Hitmen for Hire too, which IMO was a really questionable decision considering it was a school project that doesn't help at all in understanding who  Eric and Dylan were.

True, The student films were just them acting. And they also made them look extremely human. Doesn’t do anything for people to not empathize  with them.

It also shows them acting out their fantasies about killing jocks and people they hated, so I'm scratching my head as to why JeffCo decided to release it. Maybe cause it had already been seen by people other than, Eric, Dylan and the police?

QuestionMark wrote:

It also shows them acting out their fantasies about killing jocks and people they hated, so I'm scratching my head as to why JeffCo decided to release it. Maybe cause it had already been seen by people other than, Eric, Dylan and the police?

They may have thought that someone would share a copy regardless, so they released it to avoid controversy if those films were "leaked"

I have a career shadow later this month, and my father might know someone that works in the Jeffco Sheriff's office, as he might have mentioned it before. I might see if I can get a career shadow there, out of personal interest and other interests. I don't know if this has any relevance to this, but I'll see if anything happens lol. I personally don't think that the tapes were destroyed. I'll see what I can find out. It's highly likely that nothing will happen though

Is there a complete transcript anywhere? All I can find are part-transcripts, part-vague-descriptions of what "the boys talked about" or "what they went on to discuss", but not what they actually said (which pisses me off).

patogen wrote:

Is there a complete transcript anywhere? All I can find are part-transcripts, part-vague-descriptions of what "the boys talked about" or "what they went on to discuss", but not what they actually said (which pisses me off).

Not to my knowledge.
These are the main sources I've found with information on the contents of the Basement Tapes:
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Police partial transcript in the CR   pg. 10374-10483

Peter Langman's schoolshooters site. I don't know how he compiled this information as I wasn't aware that he had actually seen the tapes. But they are consistent with everything else I've read so I assume them to be accurate.
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And the Time magazine article
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I'm not sure if I have shared this, but it is my best attempt to make an "Accurate" and complete Basement Tape transcript.
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News articles written by reporters who saw the tapes:
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I will bump the thread.

I haven't been able to read through the entire thread, so this may have been brought up already, but the FBI should have copies. IIRC Jeffco/Colorado doesn't fall under FOIA since they're not federal, but rather they have a special state version of FOIA. I'd say our best bet would be to find out what specific FBI office handled the case, and then contact them with a FOIA. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] , [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] , or [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] do you guys have this info?

properground wrote:

I haven't been able to read through the entire thread, so this may have been brought up already, but the FBI should have copies. IIRC Jeffco/Colorado doesn't fall under FOIA since they're not federal, but rather they have a special state version of FOIA. I'd say our best bet would be to find out what specific FBI office handled the case, and then contact them with a FOIA. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] , [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] , or [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] do you guys have this info?

Sorority would probably know for sure. I am sure its in the 11k but I dont even know what i would be looking for. Perhaps I can look up specific officer info and see if it is listed under any of that

Cezar wrote:

The statutes of limitations never run out on murder.  (They shouldn't on rape either.)


So, the case is still open and they can't just destroy evidence.

They are telling lies.   Also, there are copies. Someone needs to "leak" them onto the net.

The basement tapes are set to be released 2026.  Which is suspicious.  The tapes should have been released by now.


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There's another link on there titled "driving around Denver", but the link is broken. Anyone have a working link?

Lizpuff wrote:

properground wrote:

I haven't been able to read through the entire thread, so this may have been brought up already, but the FBI should have copies. IIRC Jeffco/Colorado doesn't fall under FOIA since they're not federal, but rather they have a special state version of FOIA. I'd say our best bet would be to find out what specific FBI office handled the case, and then contact them with a FOIA. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] , [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] , or [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] do you guys have this info?

Sorority would probably know for sure.  I am sure its in the 11k but I dont even know what i would be looking for.  Perhaps I can look up specific officer info and see if it is listed under any of that

That's a pretty good idea. They usually list their office. I'll do some digging as well.

The local FBI office in Colorado:

8000 East 36th Avenue
Denver, CO 80238
(303) 629-7171

Covers the entire states of Colorado and Wyoming

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GreenGrayDay wrote:

Meanwhile, they can let videos like ISIS showing how to make bombs at home. But can't release a video from a event that already happened years ago...

No, they don't. IS themselves release their videos, not the police.

You could file an FOIA to the FBI and hope that they reply.

I've always felt so sure that I would want to see the basement tapes and for sure it would be fascinating but I kinda feel like I'm only really wanting to see them because there hasn't been anything released except for a short recording.

If the suicide pics hadn't been released - or leaked I think is more accurate - than I'd be morbidly interested in those as well. As it stands, I've seen them and moved on. Horrible to look at but nothing unusual anymore. That sounds terrible but there you go.

I agree with those that say releasing the tapes would have humanized Eric and Dylan in a way. I think that they did some ranting, etc. on the tapes that made them seem unhinged but some of the reporters who saw the tapes also realized how much E & D hated themselves. If they wanted to push the narrative that these were kids, Eric especially, that couldn't have been stopped because they were evil, this isn't something law enforcement would want widely known.

I also think it's possible that they said things about the police, the diversion program, etc. that would reflect badly on Jeffco officials if it got out.

I understand, in theory, how they may have considered that releasing the tapes could promote copycats. But once they were forced to release everything else- journals, videos, class writings, police statements of their friends, etc.- this argument was moot. There is more than enough in all of that for a copycat to get his/her fill from, as we've seen time and time again. The tapes wouldn't have made much more of a dent. All of those things were released before the tapes were "destroyed" (I think the FBI, at least, has a copy). This is why I think there must have been another, less "honorable" reason for withholding the tapes.

I would even go out and say that just the shooting itself happening is enough to create copycats. They didn't need to release anything. Almost all School Shooting trace back to Columbine in some way or another. If the shooting didn't happen I can almost guarantee we wouldn't have as big of a School Shooting problem. Also The FBI does have a Copy. I'll have to find the "text," but I saw where I believe either one or multiple agents made copies.

well, someone managed to get those Adam Lanza pics released by a foia request (where he's posing with guns). i think until that point everybody thought it would be impossible to ever see such pictures of adam.

afaik it was a user named "cryinghampster" from tumblr. he has also some other rare pictures of adam. there was also a thread on reddit about it with some background information about the foia request and the release of the pictures.

maybe someone with a tumblr account could contact him/her and ask if he/she could also try his/her luck on unreleased columbine stuff.

Someone needs to sneak into the FBI building and retreve the tapes.

Guest wrote:

Recently Jefferson County elected a new sheriff.

I have a question. Does anyone know if the FBI made a duplicate copy of the Basement Tapes? Because the FBI investigated this case, and reviewed all the video evidence, I assume that the FBI made a duplicate copy in storage and allowed JCSO to keep the original. I am just speculating here.

jada887 wrote:

I have a question. Does anyone know if the FBI made a duplicate copy of the Basement Tapes? Because the FBI investigated this case, and reviewed all the video evidence, I assume that the FBI made a duplicate copy in storage and allowed JCSO to keep the original. I am just speculating here.

On pg. 10377 of the CR it mentions that FBI Agent Jeff Diehl was given a copy of the tape showing Harris and Klebold showing their armaments, talking about Passover, the part where Eric cries in his car, talking about prom, the gun show, and the last segment right before the massacre. On pg. 10381 and 10383, a Jeffco officer notes that she made a copy of two of the other tapes, but it doesn't say if either tape was given to the FBI. The tapes in question show Harris and Klebold talking about Green Mountain Guns, Manes, Duran and Robyn helping them get guns, how they feel about all kinds of stuff/people/races. It also includes the scene with Eric by himself in his bedroom.

I'm guessing the FBI still has copies. Maybe we'll find out some day.

thelmar wrote:

jada887 wrote:

I have a question. Does anyone know if the FBI made a duplicate copy of the Basement Tapes? Because the FBI investigated this case, and reviewed all the video evidence, I assume that the FBI made a duplicate copy in storage and allowed JCSO to keep the original. I am just speculating here.

On pg. 10377 of the CR it mentions that FBI Agent Jeff Diehl was given a copy of the tape showing Harris and Klebold showing their armaments, talking about Passover, the part where Eric cries in his car, talking about prom, the gun show, and the last segment right before the massacre. On pg. 10381 and 10383, a Jeffco officer notes that she made a copy of two of the other tapes, but it doesn't say if either tape was given to the FBI. The tapes in question show Harris and Klebold talking about Green Mountain Guns, Manes, Duran and Robyn helping them get guns, how they feel about all kinds of stuff/people/races. It also includes the scene with Eric by himself in his bedroom.

I'm guessing the FBI still has copies. Maybe we'll find out some day.

There was talk of this in a thread on here a while ago. The FBI may have a copy of the tapes, as well as other photos. County departments have a different FOIA process, which is state-governed and is less likely to work; the FBI falls under FOIA itself. Someone found the field office that handled the tapes and the evidence and posted their contact info here. Any agency that could be subject to FOIA requests has to have a FOIA office (which may just be one or two people who are in charge of requests).

Our beat bet is to contact that office and make a FOIA request since Jeffco has never been helpful, and because FOIA stuff is taken seriously. I'd do it myself but I have reasons why I can't. If anyone is interested in trying I can give tips on how to submit the request to the office.

I really believe those tapes, or at least more evidence is only a FOIA request away, and if I was in a different position i'd do it myself.

So I'm making an eFOIPA request to the FBI, does anybody have any tips on what exactly to request?
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Technically, the video footage we have from late 2003 belongs to the infamous 'basement' tapes.

The former counsel for the Harrises and Klebolds, and those for the school district and many of the victims' families, would almost certainly have had the opportunity to review, and some cases, most likely made or were given a copy of the tapes provided.  

There were at one point likely up to several dozen partial or full copies among the lawyers, school district administration, and various responding law enforcement agencies, and even more if you add unauthorized audio made during the Fall 1999 closed press and family showings of what was likely only about 75-80% of the basement tapes.  

It is quite likely that many of these copies still survive.  Sue Klebold may very well be in direct possession of full copies.

However, I believe it is self-deluding to presume that you will ever receive an honest and forthcoming response from any law enforcement agency involved, on the matter of the unreleased tapes themselves, whether from the FBI or a sheriff's office in a neighboring county.  

I doubt the originals have truly been destroyed, and the decision to prevaricate on an almost impossible to justify FOIA request was made years before the uptick in these mass shooting incidents.  

There is not even a remote chance that any agency would intentionally and voluntarily disclose the existence of, let alone release, any portion of this evidence, in our present climate.

Their aiders and abettors in the Courts will do nothing to challenge or upset the now established narrative of purged evidence from a long 'closed' investigation.


Brian Rohrbaugh, Randy Brown, or the various local television station and newspaper journalists and the archives at their headquarters would likely be the nearest source of getting a leak of at least a lengthy audio portion of the unreleased tapes.

I believe most of us would find that these vaunted missing tapes are far more mundane (and juvenile) than the reputation they have garnered over the years, and are probably no more shocking outright than myriad (non-policy-violating) things uploaded daily to YouTube.

Has anyone made an eFOIPA request to the FBI yet? I have one written out and I am going to send it soon (unless someone already has). It costs money so I don't want to do it if someone already has and it didn't work.

kblu wrote:

Has anyone made an eFOIPA request to the FBI yet? I have one written out and I am going to send it soon (unless someone already has). It costs money so I don't want to do it if someone already has and it didn't work.

I know some have said they were going to do it. I am not sure anyone has.

I personally believe they won't release the tapes (cause let's be honest here, they didn't destroy shit.) because it will humanize them. Especially Eric. Him in his bedroom and him in his car crying. They want them in bad light, and that will pretty much shatter it. But also, as someone mentioned, that Sue doesn't want people to see her son that way. Talking about killing, calling girls bitches, etc.

noodlesoldier wrote:

I personally believe they won't release the tapes (cause let's be honest here, they didn't destroy shit.)

Yes they did. I know this because logically they have everything to gain and nothing to lose from destroying those tapes. If the tapes are literally gone, nobody can ask for them.

QuestionMark wrote:

noodlesoldier wrote:

I personally believe they won't release the tapes (cause let's be honest here, they didn't destroy shit.)

Yes they did. I know this because logically they have everything to gain and nothing to lose from destroying those tapes. If the tapes are literally gone, nobody can ask for them.

Still, I think there is at least one copy in the world.

Onyx wrote:

QuestionMark wrote:

noodlesoldier wrote:

I personally believe they won't release the tapes (cause let's be honest here, they didn't destroy shit.)

Yes they did. I know this because logically they have everything to gain and nothing to lose from destroying those tapes. If the tapes are literally gone, nobody can ask for them.

Still, I think there is at least one copy in the world.

If there is a copy out there, JeffCo almost certainly doesn't have it (no incentive to keep it). CVA speculated that the FBI might have a copy stashed away somewhere, other than that, IDK.