</s>104-10778-10438 APPROVED FOR RELEASE 1994 CIA HISTORICAL REVIEW PROGRESS Attorney General Ramsay Clark announced today: Uit Eric Starvo Galt is being sought by the FBI as a fugitive on a Federal charge arising from the fatal shooting of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr ., in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968. IFK ACT Director J. Edgar Hoover stated that a Federal complaint was filed by the FBI in Birmingham, Alabama, today charging Galt with conspiriting to violate the civil rights of Dr. King 4, King of "Title 18, RELEASE Section 241, of the United States Code. The FBI complaint charges that Dr. "On or about March 29, 1969, at Birmingham,Alabama, ... Eric Starvo Galt and an individual whoan alleged to be his brother, entered into a conspiracy which continued until on or about April 5, 1969, in into into, oppress, threaten, or intimidate Martin Luther King, Jr ,, in the free exercise or enjoy- ment of a right secured to him by the Constitution or laws of the Unified States; namely, the right to freely travel from state to state. In furtherance of this conspiracy, Eric Starvoo Galt did, or on about March 30, 1968, purchase a rifle at Birmingham. Alabama ... " Paul K.Hendl.67

Summary:  
The document details FBI charges against Eric Starvo Galt for conspiring to violate the civil rights of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., specifically targeting his right to freely travel between states. The conspiracy is alleged to have occurred between March 29, 1969, and April 5, 1969, in Birmingham, Alabama. Galt is accused of purchasing a 30.06 rifle with a telescopic sight from a Birmingham gun dealer on March 30, 1969, which was later found near the Lorraine Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee, following Dr. King's assassination on April 4, 1968. The FBI asserts that Galt, who used aliases including John Willard and Harvey Lawyer, owned a 1966 white Mustang with Alabama license plates abandoned in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 11, 1968. The car was purchased from a Birmingham private citizen on August 30, 1967, and had traveled over 10,000 miles between late 1967 and early 1968. Galt's movements included trips to Los Angeles, New Orleans, Birmingham, Georgia, Memphis, and Atlanta. The FBI notes his alleged employment as a cook on Mississippi River vessels and merchant seaman, along with personal details such as height (5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 5 inches), weight (175 pounds), brown hair in a "brush" cut, blue eyes, and a nervous habit of pulling at an earlobe. The document also mentions a 9-digit number potentially related to a social security number, which is noted but not included.  

Key People:  
- Eric Starvo Galt (charged with conspiracy)  
- J. Edgar Hoover (FBI Director)  
- Attorney General Ramsey Clark  

Key Locations:  
- Memphis, Tennessee (scene of Dr. King's assassination)  
- Birmingham, Alabama (purchase of rifle and alleged conspiracy)  
- Atlanta, Georgia (abandoned Mustang found)  
- Los Angeles, California  
- New Orleans, Louisiana  

Key Events:  
- FBI charges against Galt for conspiring to violate civil rights under Title 18, Section 241  
- Discovery of 30.06 rifle near Lorraine Hotel in Memphis  
- Investigation into Galt's movements and ownership of the white Mustang  
- Alleged conspiracy timeline spanning March 1969 to April 1969  

Key Organizations:  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  
- United States Department of Justice (via Attorney General Ramsey Clark)

MLK Declassified Files

00463173_attorney_general_ramsey_c_104-10178-10438.pdf

Document Summary

Try AI Search