</s>APPROVED FOR RELEASE 2025 UNDER EXECUTIVE ORDER 14176 1. Tab24d contains Memo - no.4 dated 17 Opn 1968- 2.

Summary  
The text details federal charges against Eric Starvo Galt in connection with the assassination of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. The FBI alleges that Galt conspired with an individual (alleged to be his brother) from March 29 to April 5, 1968, to intimidate King by restricting his right to travel between states. A 30.06 rifle with a telescopic sight, purchased in Birmingham, Alabama, on March 30, 1968, was found near a rooming house overlooking the Lorraine Hotel and Motel in Memphis after the shooting. The FBI asserts that Galt owned a 1966 white Mustang with Alabama license plates, abandoned in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 11, 1968, which he acquired from a private seller in Birmingham on August 30, 1967. The car’s odometer indicated over 19,000 miles driven between late August 1967 and early April 1968. Galt is described as a white male, approximately 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 11 inches tall, weighing 160–175 pounds, with brown hair in a "brush" cut, blue eyes, and a nervous habit of pulling at his earlobe. His movements included trips to Los Angeles, New Orleans, Birmingham, Mexico, Memphis, and Atlanta. The FBI claims he falsely claimed employment as a cook on Mississippi River vessels and a merchant seaman, and took dancing lessons in New Orleans (1964–1965), Birmingham (September–October 1967), and Long Beach, California (December 1967–February 1968). Galt is charged under Title 18, Section 241, of the U.S. Code for conspiracy to violate civil rights.  

Key People  
- Eric Starvo Galt: Charged with conspiring to intimidate Dr. King; used aliases John Willard and Harvey Lawyer; described as a fugitive.  
- J. Edgar Hoover: FBI Director who provided details about the investigation and Galt’s activities.  
- Attorney General Ramsey Clarke (initially mentioned) and Kimsey Currie (later referenced): Announced Galt’s status as a federal fugitive.  

Key Locations  
- Memphis, Tennessee: Site of Dr. King’s assassination; Lorraine Hotel and Motel where he stayed.  
- Birmingham, Alabama: Location of rifle purchase and Galt’s alleged conspiracy activities.  
- Atlanta, Georgia: Where the abandoned Mustang was found.  
- Los Angeles, California; New Orleans, Louisiana; Mexico; and Long Beach, California: Locations of Galt’s reported travels.  

Key Events  
- April 4, 1968: Assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Memphis.  
- March 29–April 5, 1968: Alleged conspiracy to intimidate Dr. King by restricting his travel rights.  
- March 30, 1968: Purchase of the 30.06 rifle and telescopic sight in Birmingham.  
- April 11, 1968: Abandoned Mustang found in Atlanta.  
- March 2, 1968: Galt graduated from a bartending school in Los Angeles.  

Key Organizations  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI): Conducted the investigation and filed conspiracy charges against Galt.  
- United States Department of Justice: Through Attorney General Ramsey Clarke and Kimsey Currie, announced Galt’s fugitive status.

MLK Declassified Files

06485493_tab_244_contains_memo_17.pdf

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