</s>Photo Lorraine RH-Mem I-170 Showing Lorraine Motel from 2nd floor rear bathroom window, 422 1/2 S. Main. By Dect. Colin Ellison, 4/5/68. 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary:  
The documents detail photographic evidence and witness accounts related to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968, at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis. Photos were taken by officers including Colin Ellison and Thomas Smith, documenting locations such as the motel’s rear bathroom window, entrance areas, and surrounding streets (e.g., Mulberry and Huling Streets). These images were part of an investigation into the event. Witnesses at Jim's Grill, a nearby establishment, reported observations of vehicles, including a white Mustang described by multiple individuals. Officers like Dollahite, Gross, and Gormley provided accounts of their movements post-assassination, including securing evidence (e.g., a blue suitcase, rifle box, and blanket found at Canipe’s Amusement Co.) and interactions with witnesses. Several individuals were detained or questioned for suspicious behavior, though no direct links to the assassination were established.  

Key People:  
- Colin Ellison (photographer, Memphis Police Department)  
- Thomas Smith (photographer, Memphis Police Department)  
- Dollahite (officer, Tactical Squad #10)  
- Gross (Memphis Police Department, Tactical Squad #10)  
- Gormley (Lieutenant, Tactical Squad #10)  
- Cooksy (Amusement Co. employee)  
- Copeland (witness at Jim's Grill)  
- Cupples (witness at Jim's Grill)  
- Foster (witness at Jim's Grill)  
- Gargas (witness at Jim's Grill)  

Key Locations:  
- Lorraine Motel (422 1/2 S. Main, corner of Mulberry and Huling Streets)  
- Jim's Grill (near the motel)  
- Canipe’s Amusement Co. (location of evidence recovery)  
- Fire Station #2 (observation point for officers)  
- Main Street (route taken by officers post-assassination)  

Key Events:  
- Photography of the Lorraine Motel from multiple angles and vantage points on April 4, 1968.  
- Witness accounts of a white Mustang parked near the motel and its subsequent disappearance.  
- Officers securing evidence (blue suitcase, rifle box, blanket) at Canipe’s Amusement Co.  
- Detention of individuals (e.g., Crawford, Gene Pearson) for suspicious behavior at Jim's Grill.  
- Movement of officers post-assassination, including running to secure the scene and interacting with witnesses.  

Key Organizations:  
- Memphis Police Department (MPD), Tactical Squad #10  
- Amusement Co. (Canipe’s Amusement Co., referenced in evidence recovery)  
- Lorraine Motel (location of assassination)

MLK Declassified Files

190-hq-43418_bulky_1_sec_002_ser_1_only-part_32_of_63.pdf

Document Summary

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