</s>TO NOT DESTROY, INSTORCIAL INSTORCIA! VALUE, LATIONAL ARCHIVES/ 57-22-27 H. S. Department of Justice (MATERIAL MUST-NOT BE REMOVED FROM OR ADDED TO THIS FILD) FEDERAL BUREAU of INVESTIGATION Volume Number Bureau File Number 44-36864/ Sedible DO NOT DESTRY-PRESERVE FOR SELECT COMMITTEE ON ASSASSINATIONS See also Nos. DO NOT DESTROY-PENDING LITIGATION 6/37/7 Stephons 6/3/27 Abercrom Storphy 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigations into potential involvement of Raymond Polacco, Glen Ballew, and others in the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK). Polacco is alleged to have sent a telegram to Joe Griffin on January 28, 1969, regarding a divorce dispute involving Dee Miller and obtained compromising photographs of Griffin’s wife. Polacco later admitted knowledge of MLK’s assassination, suggesting Griffin may have been involved for revenge against Polacco’s role in the divorce case. Glen Ballew confessed to MLK’s murder via a letter dated May 4, 1974, sent to the FBI, with his return address flagged as a hospital in Mount Vernon, Alabama. The FBI also reviewed files related to MLK’s assassination in 1976, including field office records from multiple cities and communications about potential conspiracies involving labor strikes in Memphis and Huntsville. Investigations included interviews with witnesses such as Joe Griffin, Judy Griffin, and James P. Dalton, an investigative reporter who alleged connections between sanitation workers’ strikes, organized crime figures like MC Whitaker, and Mayor Joe Davis. The FBI noted no conclusive evidence linking Polacco to the assassination but documented his former employment as a police officer in California and residence in Columbus, Georgia.  

Key People  
- **Raymond Polacco** (also known as Raymond Polacdo, Raymond Polacco, Jr.) – Subject of allegations; admitted knowledge of MLK’s assassination.  
- **Glen Ballew** – Confessed to MLK’s murder via letter dated May 4, 1974; hospitalized in Mount Vernon, Alabama.  
- **Joe Griffin** (also known as Johnnie Ernest Griffin) – Witness interviewed regarding Polacco’s activities and divorce disputes.  
- **Judy Griffin** – Wife of Joe Griffin; involved in divorce and custody disputes.  
- **Dee Miller** – Attorney involved in divorce dispute with Griffin.  
- **James Earl Ray** – Primary suspect in MLK’s assassination, referenced in accusations against Polacco.  
- **James P. Dalton** – Investigative reporter alleging connections between labor strikes, organized crime, and potential violence.  
- **Mayor Joe Davis** – Huntsville, Alabama; linked to labor disputes.  
- **MC Whitaker** – Alleged organized crime figure tied to garbage disposal contracts.  
- **William Somerset** – Union organizer cited in National Inquirer article about MLK’s assassination plot.  

Key Locations  
- **Memphis, Tennessee** – Center of MLK’s assassination and sanitation workers’ strike (1968).  
- **Huntsville, Alabama** – Strike involving sanitation workers and Mayor Joe Davis (1971).  
- **Amarillo, Texas** – Home to Joe Griffin and related legal cases.  
- **Atlanta, Georgia** – Site of divorce proceedings and alleged payoffs.  
- **Phoenix City, Alabama** – Where Polacco was interviewed by the FBI.  
- **Columbus, Georgia** – Polacco’s residence.  
- **Mount Vernon, Alabama** – Glen Ballew’s hospitalization address.  
- **Montgomery, Alabama** – FBI office and hotel association inquiries.  
- **Louisville, Kentucky** – Mentioned in a newspaper clipping about a retired police officer’s wife.  

Key Events  
- **Anonymous accusations** alleging Polacco’s involvement in MLK’s assassination.  
- **Interviews** with Joe Griffin, Judy Griffin, and others regarding telegrams, payoffs, divorce disputes, and potential conspiracies.  
- **Glen Ballew’s confession** to MLK’s murder via letter dated May 4, 1974.  
- **FBI investigation** into Polacco’s background, including his former police work in California and residence in Columbus, Georgia.  
- **Divorce and custody disputes** involving Judy Griffin and her family.  
- **Labor strikes** by sanitation workers in Memphis (1968) and Huntsville (1971), linked to potential organized crime involvement.  
- **FBI task force review** of MLK assassination files from 1976, including field office records and communications about conspiracies.  
- **National Inquirer article** alleging a plot to kill King during labor unrest.  
- **Administrative inquiries** by the FBI regarding hotel registration practices and unrelated bomb threat complaints.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)** – Conducted investigations, reviewed files, and documented findings.  
- **Department of Justice** – Task force reviewing FBI investigation for legitimacy and potential disciplinary actions.  
- **Alabama Department of Pensions and Securities** – Employer of James P. Dalton.  
- **Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)** – Referenced in context of labor disputes and MLK’s activism.  
- **National Hotel and Motor Association** – Mentioned in administrative inquiries about record-keeping requirements.  
- **Local law enforcement agencies** – Including departments in Amarillo, Atlanta, Memphis, and other cities referenced in FBI records.

MLK Declassified Files

157-mo-2627_625067_28-02-part_1_of_2.pdf

Document Summary

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