</s>104-10059-10132 25 November 1977 MEMORANDUM FOR: Mr. Robert Barteaux Chief, Information Services Staff, Information Processing Group FROM Maurice A. Sovereign Office of the Special Assistant. to the DDO for External Oversight SUBJECT Dr. Martin Luther King and Mr. James Earl Ray SUBJECTS House Select Committee on Assassination's Letter dated 11 November 1977, Same Subject B. O/S/A/D/O/O letter, 2 March 1977, Subject: DOJ Inquiry - Martin Luther King, Jr. Task Force 1. As you will note from the attached, the HSCA asks for our material or Dr. Martin Luther King, for the period 1963 through 1968 or our material on Mr. James Earl Ray for the period 1967 through 1968. 2. As as indicated in reference B, you provided a substantial amount of Directorate material which was sanitized for review by a DOJ force in its efforts to review the extent and nature of the FBI/CIA that time was the OLC that Reverent and hold the sanitized material, which was prepared for the Justice investigation, for possible eventual events, this prepared for the investigation was made available to Justice, is most the investigators from the FBI, and that it was prepared by that the investigation is made available for possible events, and this material that the HCSA investigation however, however, the distinction is not in the original request was that we permit the FBI material. In this case we will not be able to review to Directorate agency material, and should continue our review to Directorate material indicating only there is FBI material available. APPROVED FOR RELEASE 1992 CIA HISTORICAL REVIEW PROGRAM RELLAS APPROVEO FOR RELEASE 199 ATTATI: TO 039176

Summary  
This memorandum from Maurice A. Sovereign to Robert Barteaux outlines the House Select Committee on Assassination (HSCA)’s request for material related to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and James Earl Ray. The HSCA seeks FBI/CIA records on King for 1963–1968 and Ray for 1967–1968. Sovereign notes that Directorate material was sanitized for review by a DOJ task force, prepared by the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC), and made available to Justice Department investigators. The FBI is identified as providing materials for the investigation. The memorandum clarifies that Directorate agency material cannot be reviewed and emphasizes the distinction between FBI and Directorate records. A deadline of 15 December 1977 is suggested for submitting further information.  

Key People  
- Maurice A. Sovereign (sender)  
- Robert Barteaux (recipient)  
- House Select Committee on Assassination (HSCA)  
- James Earl Ray  
- Office of Legal Counsel (OLC)  

Key Locations  
- Washington, D.C. (implied via reference to federal agencies)  

Key Events  
- HSCA’s request for FBI/CIA records on Martin Luther King Jr. and James Earl Ray  
- Sanitization and review of Directorate material by DOJ task force  
- Preparation of sanitized materials for Justice Department investigators  
- Deadline set for submitting further information (15 December 1977)  

Key Organizations  
- House Select Committee on Assassination (HSCA)  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)  
- Office of Legal Counsel (OLC)  
- Department of Justice (DOJ)

MLK Declassified Files

00404655_memo_on_dr_martin_luther_104-10059-10132.pdf

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