</s>104-10129-10402 CT CIA HAS NO OBJECTION TO DECLASSIFICATION AND/OR RELEASE OF CIA INFORMATION JFK ACT RELEASE of CIA INFORMATIO LFRIDAY, JULY 19, 1-1-66 PAGE U.S. 3-800 DOCUMENT. 10-Centre. RELEASE Ray Is Flown to U.S.'s. For Trial in Slaying Guard Heavy During Trip To Memphis Memphis, Tennessee, (AP) MEMPHIS, Tem. (TEM. (AP). James Earl Ray, handcrafted and wearing Ray, appeared to and wearing a pair of handcuffs and wearing ray-ray-ray handcuffs whisked into the Shelly County trial on a charge of murdering Ray was placed in a cell at Ray was laid in a court at the jail at 4:34 a.m. (5:34 am. the jail was placed on a Rivied in the nearby Memphis RIVED in the near bus station Air Force has transported on a London. He had left London the court. He said that on a the court was not allowed to so he was the entire trip trip about 10 hours. The Navy base where he was held over from federal- Sheriff's officials about the Sheriff’s official abuse of the landed-a-blue-and-white prison police carried carried out of prison police carried out the police car in the night the of motorcycles. Roared into the of motorcyclists, roared into the ing at 2:00 am. ing at 1:00 a.pm. ties and city policemen had the night of the night, depu- ties of the city police had complex. The night was backed across a large carrying bag and across the carrying bag gun's deputy's body and riot guns were carried blocked the men's view as Ray was busted New newsman was allowed to in a large carry bag Morris distributed photographs dressed in what the sheriff told a news conference was pro-pro- a new conference was dressed in he appeared to be dressed in a <loc_97><loc_941>he appeared in a dress- <loc_97><loc_943>James Earl ray is led into Shelby County Jail. handheld to a heavy-leather <loc_97><loc_964>The sheriff said. Criminal

Summary:  
James Earl Ray was arrested in Memphis, Tennessee, on June 6, 1968, and transported to Shelby County Jail under heavy guard. He arrived via a U.S. Air Force jet from London, where he had been detained since May 25, 1968, following his arrest in Birmingham, Alabama. Ray was charged with the murder of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., which occurred on April 4, 1968. The extradition process involved British authorities, including the Home Secretary and Scotland Yard, who initially dropped charges against Ray but later reversed their decision. Ray’s trial was scheduled for Shelby County Criminal Court, with a court date unspecified but noted to occur in the fall of 1968. During his transfer, he was escorted by FBI agents and U.S. military personnel, and media coverage included details about his appearance, including a bulletproof vest and handcuffs. The documents reference logistical aspects of his transport, such as the use of armored vehicles, motorcycles, and coordination between federal and local law enforcement.  

Key People:  
- James Earl Ray (arrested for MLK’s assassination)  
- Sheriff William (Shelby County Jail official)  
- P.W. Priton (Criminal Court Judge)  
- J. Edmondson (FBI agent involved in transfer)  
- Home Secretary (UK official handling extradition)  
- Scotland Yard officials  

Key Locations:  
- Memphis, Tennessee (Shelby County Jail, trial location)  
- Birmingham, Alabama (Ray’s arrest site)  
- London, UK (Ray’s detention and extradition process)  
- U.S. Naval Station near Memphis (transport coordination)  

Key Events:  
- James Earl Ray’s arrest in Birmingham, Alabama, on May 25, 1968  
- Transfer of Ray to Memphis via U.S. Air Force jet from London  
- Extradition proceedings involving UK authorities and the U.S. government  
- Murder of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968 (charged against Ray)  
- Shelby County Criminal Court trial preparations and scheduling  

Key Organizations:  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)  
- U.S. Navy/Naval Station (transport coordination)  
- Scotland Yard (UK law enforcement)  
- Shelby County Sheriff’s Office (jail custody and logistics)

MLK Declassified Files

00459965_ray_is_flown_to_u_s_for_104-10129-10402.pdf

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