</s>ME 44-1987 TOR/acp 1 ASSOCIATES Missouri State Penitentiary resides at BILLY BROWN ABBY, interviewed at Dallas, Texas, and BILLY BROWN ABBY. Seagroveville, Texas. was acquainted with with JAMES Stark Road, Seagrville, 1961. 1964 while serving three concurrent year sentences at the Missouri State Penitentiaries. He and RAY worked in the prison bakery. State Penitiary, He and Ray were both working on the prison bakerry. state use of the amphitheatre powder and equipment at the other inmates. These items were being obtained in the RAY, apparently through prison guards, RAY liked to play poker and was special prison guards. RAY looked to play Poker and was timid to persons not knowing him well. It did not have any special interests and did not express any opinions regarding the Negroes, and outside world in general. drinking. RICHARD BEAN, MSP (07604), is serving life for murder at the Mississippi State Penitentialary and worked in April 1967 in the hospital of the prison. RAV known to him by sight and though he did not associate with RAY to him in sight and thought he was not associated with RAY RAY was very quiet and there was no information available as to his personal habits or beliefs. He also no knowledge of RAY or RAY. JULIUS MAURICE BLOCK, formerly of the Missouri State Penintiary, Leavenworth, Kansas. He was incarcerated at the Federal Penitentiary, Lawrence, Kansas, He had worked in in the bakery with JAMES EARL RAY was characterized as a bakery in the Missouri State Penintentialary although it is while in the Mississippi state Penitentariat although it Is believed he would seek sexual relations with women outside the prison walls. RAY reportedly stabbed one inmate in the Missouri State Penentiary while the victim was held by another inmate. The suspect was to steal locks from different doors in the backery and kitchen area and practice picking these locks later in the day. 47 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail inmate accounts of James Earl Ray’s behavior, escape planning, drug use, and alleged discussions about Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) during his incarceration in Missouri prisons between 1957 and 1968. Multiple inmates described Ray as a solitary figure who engaged in prison poker games, used amphetamines, and expressed racist views toward Black prisoners. Several claimed he discussed his intent to kill MLK, referencing a $10,000 bounty on MLK’s head. Others noted his alleged ties to smuggling operations involving Mexico, Texas, and Canada, as well as escape attempts such as tunneling out of Missouri State Penitentiary. Ray was also described as having physical traits like a prominent cleft chin and distinctive gait. While some inmates speculated about financial motives for targeting MLK, none provided direct evidence of involvement in the assassination. The documents include prison records, inmate testimonies, and FBI identification files detailing Ray’s criminal history, including arrests for burglary, forgery, and drug-related offenses.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Central figure; described as a loner, drug user, and alleged plotter against MLK. Inmates noted his racist views, escape planning, and connections to smuggling networks.  
- **Kenneth Lee Wade**: Incarcerated at San Quentin and Missouri State Penitentiary; claimed Ray sold amphetamines to inmates and had no regard for Black individuals.  
- **Milton Zavalcofski**: Former inmate at Missouri State Penitentiary who noted Ray’s escape attempts but could not confirm his whereabouts post-release.  
- **Charles Calvin Bookman**: Leavenworth Prison inmate who met Ray in 1956; described Ray as an airplane pilot from Mississippi and recounted a 1967 encounter in Los Angeles where Ray allegedly requested money.  
- **GAWRON**: Linked to Ray’s alleged drug trafficking and loan shark business, involved in transactions involving inhalers.  
- **Carol Pepper**: Mentioned as an intermediary in communication between Ray and others.  
- **John Ray**: Possibly a relative or associate of James Earl Ray, referenced in financial dealings.  

Key Locations  
- **Missouri State Penitentiary**: Primary prison where Ray was incarcerated; site of drug trafficking operations, escape planning, and inmate interactions.  
- **Leavenworth Prison, Kansas**: Where Ray was incarcerated with Bookman; described as a location for prison-based drug sales and escape attempts.  
- **Mexico (Acapulco, Mexico City, Campchee Bay)**: Frequently referenced in Ray’s conversations about potential hiding or smuggling activities.  
- **St. Louis, Missouri**: Site of early interactions with inmates like James Owens and prison operations.  
- **New Orleans, Louisiana**: Mentioned in Ray’s discussions about potential residence.  
- **Omaha, Nebraska**: Noted as a location where Ray was reportedly present during specific periods.  

Key Events  
- **Discussions about MLK’s assassination**: Multiple inmates claimed Ray expressed intent to kill MLK, referencing a $10,000 bounty on his head. One inmate (Harry Serio) speculated Ray might have wanted MLK dead for financial gain, though this is labeled as speculation.  
- **Escape planning**: Ray was described as attempting multiple escape methods, including tunneling and using forged documents or Canadian passports.  
- **Drug trafficking within prisons**: Inmates like Wade and Ray sold amphetamines to other prisoners, using guards as couriers for smuggling.  
- **Prison riots and conflicts**: A 1966 Black Muslims petition led to a riot at Missouri State Penitentiary, with Ray allegedly involved in discussions about weapons and racial tensions.  
- **Alleged financial dealings**: Ray’s interactions with associates like GAWRON included transactions involving inhalers and loan shark operations.  

Key Organizations  
- **Missouri State Penitentiary**: Central to Ray’s incarceration and drug trafficking activities.  
- **Leavenworth Prison**: Site of Ray’s early incarceration and interactions with Bookman.  
- **FBI**: Provided identification records and fingerprint data for James Earl Ray.  
- **Local law enforcement agencies (e.g., Los Angeles Police Department, St. Louis Police Department)**: Involved in arrests and investigations related to Ray’s criminal history.  
- **U.S. Postal Service**: Mentioned in relation to forgery charges and legal proceedings against Ray.

MLK Declassified Files

157-no-10673_hs1-852666771_126-03-part_2_of_3.pdf

Document Summary

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