</s>IS 88-4851 CRIME FOR DATE INSTITUTION WHICH CONTINED DATE 1956 - 1958 West Virginia State Prison, Breaking and State Virginia Houndsville, Entering West Virginia 1959 - 1963 Ramsey No. 1 Unarmed Robbery South Farm, Prison Farm, 1963 - 1966 State Prison. Complete original State Virginia, West Virginia sentence for Auto Theft 1965 - December, 1967 State Prison , Houndswille, Parole violation West Virginia -5- 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail James Earl Ray’s criminal history, including prison sentences in West Virginia and Virginia (1956–1967), parole violations, and release under Executive Order 14176. They reference George McMillan, an author who claimed access to FBI files related to Ray and interacted with the FBI in 1974, initially declining interviews but later agreeing to be interviewed with his attorney, John T. Williams. McMillan stated he had never accessed FBI files and that Tennessee state authorities possessed "FBI files" for prosecuting Ray. The FBI sought clarification on whether state or county officials shared information with authors like Gerald Frank and William Huié but found no conclusive evidence. A separate document outlines a Department of Justice review initiated in August 1976 to assess the FBI’s investigation into MLK Jr.’s assassination, led by Assistant Attorney General J. Stanley Potinger. The task force reviewed files from the Civil Rights Division and field offices, with plans to collect Xerox copies of all relevant documents by August 9, 1976. Personnel visited multiple cities, including Memphis, Milwaukee, and San Francisco, for file reviews. A cost data report requested manpower and expense details from the Boston Field Office. Another document references a memorandum from SAC Richard F. Bates (December 2, 1976) detailing FBI protocols for handling requests from the House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA), established to investigate JFK and MLK Jr.’s deaths. The OPR task force planned interviews with former FBI officials by December 21–22, 1976, under confidentiality guidelines.  

Key People  
- James Earl Ray (subject of criminal records and alleged assassination involvement)  
- George McMillan (author, claimed access to FBI files, interacted with FBI in 1974)  
- John T. Williams (McMillan’s attorney, facilitated FBI interviews)  
- J. Stanley Potinger (Assistant Attorney General overseeing DOJ review task force)  
- Richard F. Bates (SAC, issued memorandum on HSCA protocols)  
- Kenneth L. Hamson, John T. Ouellette, Bernard T. Cabe, Richard P. Brooks, Kevin P. Clougher, Harry Perkins, Edward F. Fairbrother, John V. Houle, Timothy J. Leonard (FBI agents involved in document handling and reviews)  
- A. Belmont, A. Selmont, F.J. Baumgardner, W.C. Sullivan, C.D. DeLoach, M.G.H. Scatterday, J.W. Brown, C.L. McGowan (former FBI officials interviewed by OPR task force)  

Key Locations  
- West Virginia, Virginia (prison locations mentioned in Ray’s criminal history)  
- Boston, Massachusetts (FBI office, central to document submission and cost reporting)  
- Memphis, Tennessee (Tennessee State Attorney General’s Office, referenced in McMillan’s claims)  
- Milwaukee, Kansas City, Omaha, San Francisco, Los Angeles (cities visited by DOJ task force for file reviews)  
- Atlanta, Birmingham, Chicago, New York, St. Louis (planned future locations for DOJ review)  
- Washington, D.C., Louisville, Kentucky, New Haven, Connecticut, Silver Spring, Maryland, Greenwood, Connecticut (locations associated with HSCA and OPR interviews)  

Key Events  
- FBI attempts to verify McMillan’s claims about access to FBI files related to James Earl Ray.  
- McMillan’s interactions with the FBI, including scheduled interviews and refusal to answer questions about file availability.  
- Mention of Tennessee state authorities’ possession of "FBI files" for prosecuting Ray.  
- DOJ task force review (1976) to evaluate FBI’s role in MLK Jr.’s assassination investigation.  
- Document submission requirements for field offices to submit Xerox copies of "MURKIN" files by August 9, 1976.  
- Cost data reporting request for Boston Field Office manpower and expenses (September–October 1976).  
- Formation of the House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA) to investigate JFK and MLK Jr.’s deaths.  
- FBI protocols for handling HSCA requests for records or personnel, directed to Office of Legislative Affairs or FBHIB’s Congressional Inquiry Unit.  
- OPR task force interviews with former FBI officials regarding MLK Jr. investigation, completed by December 21–22, 1976.  

Key Organizations  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  
- Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR)  
- Tennessee State Attorney General’s Office  
- House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA)  
- Civil Rights Division (initial partial reviews prior to DOJ task force examination)  
- Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS), Time Magazine, Inc. (mentioned in McMillan’s background)

MLK Declassified Files

157-bs-644_hs1-852666761_178-03-part_2_of_4.pdf

Document Summary

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