</s>2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992 104-10305-10005 204-1005-10006 204-10505-10009 MEMORANDUN FOR THE RECORD 1983 23 August 1978 MEMORDANDUNFOR THE RECORD FROM: Bruce L. Solie Chief, Security Analysis Group SUBJECT: NAGELLI, NAGELI, Richard Case #264 170 1. This memorandum identifies those Office of Security files which were reviewed by House Select Committee on Assassinations were reviewed staff members in conjunction with the HSCA's investigation (HSCa) into the deaths of President John F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 2. Under procedures established with the HSCA, certain items of information were not reviewed by HSCa staff members. these items were placed in envelopes, sealed, appropriately Identified, and put back into the security file prior to Identified and put in back into a security file. The security file priority to <loc_132><loc_496>files should maintain the integrity of each envelope below <loc_512><loc_840><loc_527><loc_132><loc_527>files should remain the integrity that each envelope allow so that interested parties may know what was was not reviewed by HCSA staff members,

**Comprehensive Summary of Declassified Documents Related to MLK Assassination Investigations**  

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### **Key Individuals**  
1. **Sirhan Sirhan**: Identified as the assassin of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., with details about his trial (e.g., charges, legal proceedings) and alleged ties to Arab militant groups. His case is central to the MLK assassination investigation.  
2. **Richard Nagell**: A figure linked to multiple investigations, including allegations of espionage, counterintelligence activities, and connections to the Fair Play for Cuba Committee (FPCC). While not directly tied to MLK’s assassination, his associations with Lee Harvey Oswald and FPCC may intersect with broader Cold War-era inquiries.  
3. **Lee Harvey Oswald**: Mentioned in several documents as a suspect in JFK’s assassination, with Nagell allegedly being interviewed by the FBI about potential ties to Oswald.  
4. **Marina Oswald**: Wife of Lee Harvey Oswald, who identified Nagell as unfamiliar during FBI interviews.  
5. **FBI and CIA Agents**: Involved in investigations into Nagell’s alleged espionage activities, counterintelligence work, and financial disputes.  

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### **Key Locations**  
- **Los Angeles, California**: Nagell’s residence, workplace (e.g., California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control), and sites of legal proceedings.  
- **El Paso, Texas**: Site of Nagell’s 1963 bank robbery attempt and subsequent arrest.  
- **Mexico City, Mexico**: Nagell’s temporary residence during interactions with U.S. embassies.  
- **Washington, D.C.**: Mentions of Nagell’s military service and alleged Soviet contacts.  
- **Berlin, Germany**: Nagell’s detention in East Germany after fleeing the U.S.  

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### **Key Events**  
1. **Sirhan Sirhan’s Trial (1968)**: Details about his arrest, charges for assassinating MLK, and claims of ideological motivation tied to Arab militant groups.  
2. **Nagell’s Bank Robbery Attempt (September 20, 1963)**: Alleged use of a silencer and microfilm, leading to FBI investigations into his counterintelligence activities.  
3. **HSCA Investigations**: The House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA) reviewed security files related to JFK and MLK, though direct links between Nagell and MLK’s assassination are not explicitly stated in the documents.  
4. **FPCC Connections**: Nagell’s alleged ties to the Fair Play for Cuba Committee, which was linked to anti-Castro activities and potential Cold War espionage.  
5. **Psychiatric Evaluations**: Multiple VA hospitals (e.g., Bay Pines, Florida) documented Nagell’s mental health issues, including chronic brain syndrome and paranoid traits.  

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### **Organizations**  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted investigations into Nagell’s alleged espionage activities, counterintelligence ties, and financial disputes.  
- **Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)**: Mentioned in relation to Nagell’s alleged possession of sensitive materials and connections to foreign entities.  
- **Fair Play for Cuba Committee (FPCC)**: A group with which Nagell was allegedly associated, linked to anti-Castro activism and potential ties to U.S. intelligence agencies.  
- **Veterans Administration (VA) Hospitals**: Provided psychiatric evaluations for Nagell, noting his mental health conditions.  

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### **Notable Findings**  
- **Sirhan Sirhan’s Role**: The documents emphasize his direct involvement in MLK’s assassination, with details about his trial and alleged ideological motivations.  
- **Nagell’s Alleged Espionage**: While not directly tied to MLK’s murder, Nagell’s connections to FPCC, CIA, and Soviet agents suggest broader Cold War-era investigations that may have intersected with the MLK case.  
- **HSCA’s Scope**: The HSCA’s review of security files for both JFK and MLK indicates a systemic effort to investigate potential conspiracies, though no direct link between Nagell and MLK’s assassination is confirmed in the provided texts.  

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### **Conclusion**  
The documents highlight Sirhan Sirhan as the primary figure in the MLK assassination investigation, with detailed accounts of his trial and background. Richard Nagell, while not directly implicated in MLK’s murder, appears in multiple contexts related to Cold War-era espionage, counterintelligence, and FPCC activities. The HSCA’s involvement underscores a broader governmental effort to examine potential conspiracies surrounding both JFK and MLK assassinations. However, the provided texts do not establish direct ties between Nagell and MLK’s assassination, focusing instead on his alleged connections to other Cold War-era figures and organizations.

Summary:  
The document details Richard Case Nagell’s arrest in El Paso, Texas, on September 20, 1963, for attempted bank robbery. During his arrest, authorities discovered documents linking him to U.S. Army Counterintelligence Corps (CIC) operations in Japan and Korea, including references to the 3rd Operations Group and Japanese security agencies such as the National Rural Police Agency and Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. Nagell’s military service during the Korean War included a brain injury from an airplane crash, which may have contributed to his mental instability. He was later sentenced to ten years in prison for bank robbery on June 9, 1964. FBI and CIA files indicate no direct ties to Communist Party, Cuban, or espionage activities, though some names associated with Nagell were linked to U.S. intelligence personnel. Additional records note his prior employment with the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC), where he was suspended and dismissed in 1962. His legal actions included civil rights complaints against authorities and a suicide attempt while incarcerated. Correspondence with Army officials, such as Francis X. Plant, addressed grievances over medical evaluations and military records.  

Key People:  
- Richard Case Nagell (arrested for bank robbery)  
- Francis X. Plant (Special Assistant to the Under Secretary of the Army)  
- John Sloss (name referenced in Nagell’s possession)  
- Marina Oswald (mentioned in context of Nagell’s claims regarding the President's assassination)  
- William O. Cregar (FBI official)  
- John Floyd Parker (CIA employee)  
- Frances Agnes Guthrie (CIA employee)  
- Creighton Churchill (individual mentioned in documents)  
- Ernst Leibacher (Los Angeles Field Office, CIA)  

Key Locations:  
- El Paso, Texas (arrest site and U.S. District Court)  
- Tokyo, Japan (U.S. Army intelligence operations)  
- Sendai, Japan (U.S. military postings)  
- Los Angeles, California (CIA and FBI offices, ABC employment)  
- Mexico City (Nagell’s interactions with U.S. Embassy)  
- Ft. Holabird, Maryland (Army Intelligence School)  

Key Events:  
- Nagell’s arrest in El Paso on September 20, 1963  
- Discovery of documents linking him to U.S. Army intelligence operations in Korea and Japan  
- Sentencing for bank robbery on June 9, 1964  
- Suspension and dismissal from California ABC in 1962  
- Legal complaints against police and civil rights claims  
- Claims of contact with foreign intelligence agents (Soviet, Cuban, CIA)  
- Mental health diagnoses and psychiatric evaluations  
- Correspondence with Army officials regarding medical records and grievances  

Key Organizations:  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)  
- U.S. Army Counterintelligence Corps (CIC)  
- Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (California)  
- Japanese National Rural Police Agency  
- Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department  
- U.S. Embassy, Mexico City  
- U.S. District Court, El Paso, Texas

MLK Declassified Files

00563474_security_file_nagel_rich_104-10305-10005.pdf

Document Summary

Key Individuals

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