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Summary:  
The document contains FBI records detailing investigations into potential connections between individuals associated with Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) and assassination plots or extremist activities. Key elements include motel registration data from March 29–April 3, 1968, in Mississippi, listing individuals such as Glen M. Swickelod and F. C. McGinnins, along with license plate information and locations. The FBI sought to link these individuals to James Earl Ray, the accused assassin of MLK, through criminal background checks and motel records review. A 1976 report notes Leon Powell’s claim that he was approached in 1967 by an individual named Ralph (CLNU) to murder MLK, though Powell denied involvement. The investigation also includes arrest records for Claude Powell, Jr., and Ray Godfrey, as well as FBI case numbers and investigative notes. Additional records from January 1976 detail an alleged meeting at Pete’s Bar in Atlanta between Leon and Claude Powell and Ray Godfrey, where the Powells were offered $58,000 to assassinate MLK but declined. The FBI verified details of this meeting through city directories, bar records, and arrest histories, noting Claude Powell’s 1949 armed robbery conviction. Later interviews in 1975–1976 with Floyce Powell Bryson and her brothers revealed they were not affiliated with extremist groups like the Ku Klux Klan or Black hate organizations and denied knowledge of an assassination plot. The FBI also tracked communications involving Otis Moore, a retired U.S. sergeant who claimed to have information about MLK’s assassin and reported it to the FBI, though his claims about contacting U.S. senators Frank Church and Edward Kennedy were unverified. Files related to this case were destroyed under a 120-day retention rule in 1976.  

Key People:  
- **James Earl Ray**: Accused assassin of MLK; linked to motel records review and FBI investigations.  
- **Leon Owen Powell**: Alleged witness to conspiracy; claimed he was approached by Ralph (CLNU) in 1967 to kill MLK.  
- **Claude Powell, Jr.** (also known as "Shotgun" Powell): Convicted of armed robbery in 1949; involved in alleged meeting with Ray Godfrey at Pete’s Bar.  
- **Ray Godfrey**: Individual allegedly approached to assassinate MLK; no confirmed identity or location.  
- **Ralph (CLNU)**: Individual named by Leon Powell as the person who approached him for the assassination plot.  
- **Wendell Sutton Powell**: Brother of Claude and Leon; denied involvement in the plot, stated family did not support MLK.  
- **Annie Lois Compos**: Person of interest linked to Ray Godfrey but not located during investigation.  
- **Otis Moore**: Retired U.S. sergeant who claimed to have information about MLK’s assassin and reported it to the FBI; alleged contact with U.S. senators Frank Church and Edward Kennedy.  
- **Floyce Powell Bryson**: Interviewed in 1975–1976; sister of Leon and Claude Powell.  
- **Eugene V. Grace**: Eye surgeon in Durham, NC; contacted by Otis Moore.  
- **Jim Walker**: Departmental Attorney involved in reviewing files related to the case.  

Key Locations:  
- **Corinth, Mississippi**: Focus area for motel registration records (March 29–April 3, 1968).  
- **Atlanta, Georgia**: Site of Pete’s Bar where alleged meeting between Powell brothers and Ray Godfrey occurred; home of Moreland Avenue bar.  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Investigation hub related to MLK’s assassination.  
- **Mecklenburg County, North Carolina**: Location of Claude Powell’s 1949 armed robbery conviction.  
- **Belmont, North Carolina**: Residence of Wendell Sutton Powell.  
- **Toccoa, Georgia**: Home of Powell family members Hepsie Powell (mother) and Hubert Powell (brother).  
- **Durham, North Carolina**: Location of Eugene V. Grace’s practice.  
- **San Juan, Puerto Rico**: Mentioned in file review context.  

Key Events:  
- **March 29–April 3, 1968**: FBI reviewed motel registrations in Mississippi to identify individuals associated with James Earl Ray.  
- **October/November 1967**: Alleged meeting at Pete’s Bar in Atlanta between Leon and Claude Powell and Ray Godfrey, where the Powells were offered $58,000 to assassinate MLK.  
- **January 1976**: FBI verified details of the alleged meeting through city directories, bar records, and arrest histories; conducted interviews with witnesses like Shirley Lane and Dorothy Davis.  
- **1975–1976**: FBI interviewed Floyce Powell Bryson and her brothers to assess ties to extremist groups or MLK assassination plots; found no affiliation with KKK or hate organizations.  
- **1976**: Files related to the case were destroyed under a 120-day retention rule.  
- **Unverified claims**: Otis Moore alleged contact with U.S. senators Frank Church and Edward Kennedy regarding MLK’s assassin, but these were not confirmed.  

Key Organizations:  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted investigations into potential connections between individuals and MLK’s assassination or extremist activities.  
- **U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division**: Requested investigation into Leon Powell’s allegations.  
- **City of Atlanta Police Department**: Provided arrest records for Claude Powell.  
- **Mecklenburg County, North Carolina Police Department**: Recorded Claude Powell’s 1949 armed robbery conviction.  
- **Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)**: Mentioned in context of MLK’s work but not directly tied to the assassination investigation.

MLK Declassified Files

44-ce-1365_738554_05-03-part_2_of_3.pdf

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