</s>ME 44-1987 TOR:t:jm 1 JOSEPH ADAMS currently incarcerated at the Illinois State Penitentiary was acquired with JAMES EARL RAY at the Missouri State Penitentialary. ADAMS left the pentitentiary in October. 1967. RAY brought food to the hospital where ADAMS was working and assumed RAY worked in the prison kitchen. He described him as a quiet individual, but he never talked directly to him or did not die ever observe him with any other immates. LEO BARNETT currently incarceratedat at the Florida State Prison, Rafford, Florida, knew JAMES ERL RAY in the Missouri state Prison from about 1962 until August 1, 1967 he met nobody, M.B. HILLES, presently at the New York State Penentiary. was a loser. Ray never said much, did not bother anybody, was a longer and bad and nervous condition and a definite mental problem. He was taking powdered amphetamine while in prison and would suffer weight losses and gains of 10 to 15 pounds over short periods of time. BARNETT stated that amphetamine taken in quantities would produce a substantial rapid weight loss. The amphetamine supply, prior to 1964, was $5 a shot or less and after 1964, although the supply was limited, it still sold for the same price. 48 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The document compiles inmate accounts, arrest records, and institutional reports detailing James Earl Ray’s incarceration, prison activities, and alleged associations during the 1960s. Inmates at Missouri State Penitentiary, Cuyahoga County Jail, Mississippi State Penitentiary, and California State Prison described Ray as a loner with a history of drug use (including amphetamine consumption), escape planning, and petty criminal activities such as selling drugs and stealing food. Some inmates noted his alleged racial prejudice against Black individuals and references to financial motives for violence, including speculative discussions about a $10,000 bounty on Martin Luther King Jr.’s life. Ray’s 1967 escape from Missouri State Penitentiary is mentioned, though no direct link to the assassination of MLK is established. Arrest records from 1946–1960 detail multiple charges of burglary, forgery, and robbery across states like California, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, and Kansas, with some cases involving probation or suspended sentences. A Social Security number “16 163 129” is noted but not fully legible.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Central figure; described as a loner, drug user, escape enthusiast, and associated with petty crime and smuggling operations.  
- **Leo Barnett**: Inmate at Florida State Prison; reported Ray’s amphetamine use and erratic behavior.  
- **JAMES T. BOND**: Inmate at Cuyahoga County Jail; noted Ray’s role as a “bread man” in prison bakery activities.  
- **Carl Brenton Drake**: Inmate at Missouri State Penitentiary; stated Ray engaged in escape planning but had no close friends.  
- **Thomas Britton**: Inmate at Mississippi State Penitentiary; mentioned Ray’s familiarity with Alabama and financial motives for violence.  
- **James W. Brown**: Inmate at Missouri State Penitentiary; heard Ray discuss a $10,000 bounty for killing MLK.  
- **Harry Sero**: Inmate who recounted a speculative conversation in Memphis about potential financial incentives for assassinating MLK, clarified as unfounded.  
- **James Owens**: Inmate at St. Louis Rescue Mission; described Ray as a professional thief specializing in robbery and burglary.  
- **Donald Johnson**: Inmate at Missouri State Penitentiary; considered one of Ray’s closest associates during incarceration.  

Key Locations  
- **Missouri State Penitentiary**: Central site for Ray’s incarceration; multiple inmates detailed his behavior, drug use, and interactions here.  
- **Cuyahoga County Jail (Ohio)**: Site where JAMES T. BOND was incarcerated; mentioned as a location of Ray’s prison-related activities.  
- **Mississippi State Penitentiary**: Where Thomas Britton and James W. Brown were inmates; Ray discussed financial motives for violence.  
- **California State Prison**: Mentioned in relation to Floyd Evans Hill, who noted Ray’s alleged connection to a man killed in the woods.  
- **Los Angeles, California**: Site of interactions between Ray, ERIC GALT, RITA STEIN, and CHARLES J. STEIN.  
- **St. Francis Hotel** and **Sultan Room**: Locations where Ray and associates were observed.  

Key Events  
- **Ray’s drug use**: Amphetamine consumption was frequently reported by inmates, with some noting his reliance on multiple medications for perceived health issues.  
- **Escape attempts**: Ray is described as planning escapes repeatedly, with some inmates believing he had methods or allies to facilitate these efforts.  
- **Speculative conversation in Memphis**: Harry Sero recounted an unspecified discussion suggesting financial motives for killing MLK, though dismissed as unfounded.  
- **Ray’s 1967 escape from Missouri State Penitentiary**: Described by inmates as a planned event; no direct involvement in the assassination is mentioned.  
- **Arrests and convictions (1946–1960)**: Multiple charges of burglary, forgery, robbery, and larceny across states, with some cases involving probation or suspended sentences.  
- **Political registration efforts**: ERIC GALT and RITA STEIN/CHARLES J. STEIN registered for George Wallace’s political party in California under GALT’s assistance.  

Key Organizations  
- **FBI**: Involved in investigations; referenced by inmates (e.g., Walter E. Nolan, FBI No. 48187) and tracking Ray’s movements.  
- **Missouri State Penitentiary** and **Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary**: Institutions where Ray was incarcerated; described as hubs for drug trafficking and escape planning.  
- **George Wallace’s political party**: Party under which RITA STEIN and CHARLES J. STEIN registered, linked to Ray’s associates.  
- **Local law enforcement agencies**: Including Sheriff’s Offices, Police Departments (Los Angeles, Alton, Hannibal, Kansas City), and U.S. Postal Service investigations.

MLK Declassified Files

44-bh-1740_729219_09-01-part_2_of_6.pdf

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