</s>IN THE CRIMINAL COURT OF SHELBY COUNTY, TENNESSEE STATE OF TENNESSEE No. 16615 Murder First Degree VS. No. 166919 Carrying Dangerous Weapon JAMES EARL RAY Alias Eric Starvo Galt, Alias John Willard, Alias Harvey Lawyer, Alias Harvey Lawyer. ORDER Attendance in the Courtroom will be limited to the seating accommodations of the Courtrooms except insofar as the Court shall order. The north portion of the Courroom behind the rails consisting of seats numbered through the media will be reserved for accredited representatives of the news media who will be admitted to the CourtRoom only upon presentation of credentials. issued by this Court. The south portion of seats numberred for Courtroom behind this rails. consisting of seats numbered for through will be available to members of the public for each session in the court in order of their appearance except for seats for family and/or friends of the defendant, and seats from family andor/orfriends of the deceased. shall be as follows: .Seat No. 2. Associated Press Representative 2. U. P. I. Representative 3. Associated Negro Press Representative 4. National N.C. O. T.V. and Radio Representative 5. National C. B. S. T ., V. and radio Representative 6. National A. B ., G. C. V. & Radio Representative 7. Commercial Apparel Representative 8. Press-Sciimitar Representative 9. Tri-State Defender Representative 10. Memphis World Representative 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail legal proceedings, court orders, and investigative reports related to James Earl Ray’s trial for the murder of Martin Luther King Jr. Court records from Shelby County, Tennessee, reference contempt of court charges against Arthur J. Hanes, Renfro T. Hayes, Roy Hamilton, and Charles Edmundson, as well as motions requesting private attorney access to evidence and addressing media coverage during proceedings. RCMP files include forensic analysis of firearms and ammunition, inquiries into laundry marks linked to suspects, and interviews in Toronto, Ontario. Administrative routing slips reference the assassination investigation across multiple locations up to September 25, 1968, with mentions of FBI involvement and notes on Howard Phillips Ethridge’s alleged statements about crimes. A memorandum dated August 30, 1968, states the FBI investigation remains ongoing unless otherwise directed. Exhibits reference "THE MAN WHO KILLED MARTIN LUTHER KING," linking Ray to the assassination but without direct evidence or conclusions on culpability. Legal motions argue jurisdictional issues and prejudicial media coverage compromised fair trial conditions due to pretrial publicity.  

Key People  
- James Earl Ray (defendant, accused of murdering Martin Luther King Jr.)  
- Arthur J. Hanes, Renfro T. Hayes, Roy Hamilton, Charles Edmundson (contempt of court respondents)  
- C.R. Doocy (Superintendent Officer of Criminal Investigation Branch)  
- Sgt. H.F.T. Power, J.R. Duchesneau (investigative officers)  
- Robert Owens (advised by SA Richard B. Long)  
- George McMillan (writer), Laughlin McDonald (Civil Liberties Union attorney)  
- Howard Phillips Ethridge (inmate with alleged criminal statements)  
- Arthur J. Nane, Hanes & Hanes (legal representatives for Ray)  
- J. A. Blackwell (Clerk of Shelby County Criminal Court)  

Key Locations  
- Shelby County, Tennessee (court proceedings, exhibits)  
- Memphis, Tennessee (police exhibit department, media coverage)  
- Toronto, Ontario (laundry mark investigation)  
- Ottawa, Ontario (RCMP headquarters)  
- Montreal, Canada (RCMP files)  
- Seattle, Washington (FBI reports)  
- England (Ray’s extradition under international treaty)  
- St. Louis, Missouri; Houston, Texas; Dallas, Texas (routing slips referencing investigation locations)  

Key Events  
- Court orders for seating arrangements and contempt of court proceedings in Ray’s trial for MLK’s assassination.  
- Legal motions requesting private attorney access to evidence and quashing indictment due to jurisdictional issues and prejudicial media coverage.  
- RCMP investigations into laundry marks, forensic analysis of firearms, and interviews in Toronto, Ontario.  
- FBI and RCMP reports referencing the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., including notes on Howard Phillips Ethridge’s alleged statements.  
- Administrative routing slips documenting the assassination investigation across multiple locations up to September 25, 1968.  
- Memorandum dated August 30, 1968, stating FBI investigation remains ongoing unless directed otherwise.  
- Exhibits referencing "THE MAN WHO KILLED MARTIN LUTHER KING," linking Ray to the assassination without direct evidence or conclusions on culpability.  

Key Organizations  
- Shelby County Criminal Court (Tennessee)  
- Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  
- Civil Rights Division (U.S. Department of Justice)  
- Memphis Police Department (exhibit management)  
- Legal teams (defense: Hanes & Hanes; state prosecutors)  
- Memphis Press and Commercial Appeal (media coverage)

MLK Declassified Files

190-hq-709_bulky_231_sec_007_ser_231_only-part_04_of_11.pdf

Document Summary

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