</s>FED: 245 (REV. 4:13-60) H. S. Department of Justice (MATERIAL MUST NOT BE REMOVED FROM OR ADDED TO THIS FILE) DO NOT DESTROY PENDING LITIGATION 1740 FEDERAL BUREAU ENTIRE FILE REVIEWED DO NOT ESTROV. FOR HISTORICAL of HISTORICIAL NALQUES NATIONAL ARCHIVES DECLASSIFICATION INVESTIGATION ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN US UNCLASSIFIED DATELL/SLOJ BY SPICILICIO Volume Number: Serial: 1962-1967-1967 Bureau File Number DO NOT DISTROY PENDIND LITICATION See also Nos. 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary:  
The document contains accounts from inmates and FBI records related to James Earl Ray (JER) and Carlos Lee Billings (CLB), detailing alleged connections to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK). Inmate James Harvey Bradley Jr. describes interactions with JER during incarceration, noting JER's claims of being framed for a robbery conviction and his frustration over a 20-year sentence. Bradley also mentions JER’s possible involvement in MLK’s assassination, though he expresses disbelief. FBI records include interviews with inmates like Frank Joseph Guinan and John Lewis Stout, who describe JER as a loner with no known ties to other inmates or the crime. CLB, an inmate at the Medical Center for Federal Prisoners, is interviewed about his alleged involvement in planning MLK’s assassination. He describes meeting a soldier named Glenn Barber in Columbia, South Carolina, and being approached by individuals identified only as James and Eddie to kill MLK using a machine gun. The plan involved smuggling the weapon from Westwood, Louisiana, and staging an attack during a march in Selma-to-Montgomery route. CLB also mentions JER’s alleged residence near Memphis, Mississippi, and his connection to a farm. The FBI notes CLB’s psychiatric history and ongoing legal issues, including a federal detainer.  

Key People:  
- James Earl Ray (JER): Alleged assassin of MLK; described as a white male in his 40s with blue eyes and brown hair, residing near Memphis, Mississippi.  
- Carlos Lee Billings (CLB): Inmate involved in planning MLK’s assassination; described as white, 6 feet tall, with blue eyes.  
- Glenn Barber: Soldier met by CLB in Columbia, South Carolina; allegedly provided information about JER and the machine gun plan.  
- James and Eddie: Individuals who approached CLB to kill MLK; their identities remain unspecified.  

Key Locations:  
- Missouri State Penitentiary (MSP): Site of inmate interactions involving JER and other prisoners.  
- Medical Center for Federal Prisoners, Springfield, Missouri: Where CLB was held for psychiatric evaluation.  
- Columbia, South Carolina: Location of CLB’s alleged meeting with Barber and the planning of the assassination plot.  
- Selma-to-Montgomery route, Alabama: Proposed location for the attack on MLK during a march.  

Key Events:  
- JER’s alleged framing by police officers for a robbery conviction, leading to his 20-year sentence.  
- CLB’s involvement in planning MLK’s assassination using a machine gun, including smuggling the weapon and staging an attack during a protest.  
- FBI interviews with inmates to investigate JER’s connections and potential role in the assassination.  
- CLB’s psychiatric evaluation and legal issues, including federal and state detainers.  

Key Organizations:  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI): Conducted investigations into JER and CLB’s alleged involvement in MLK’s assassination.  
- Missouri State Penitentiary (MSP): Site of inmate interactions and prison records.  
- U.S. Penitentiary at Leavenworth, Kansas: Mentioned as a location for JER’s incarceration.

MLK Declassified Files

44-bh-1740_729219_09-02-part_1_of_4.pdf

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