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Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigative activities related to potential connections between individuals and the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK). A memorandum from SAC Chicago (5/10/68) notes that informant William Nethington, residing in Sullivan, Missouri, reported conversations with MILFORD ROHER, a city policeman in Sullivan, Mississippi. ROHER allegedly claimed the Ku Klux Klan planned to kill MLK to facilitate the escape of RAY, who was said to be in Argentina after the assassination. The FBI noted that ROHER wore purple robes associated with the KKK and may have been involved in planning MLK’s death. Further records mention Robert Wayne Phillips, an informant in Chicago, who provided information about bootlegging operations in Tupelo, Mississippi. Phillips allegedly reported that Carl Murphy Jr., a known bootlegger, hired J.W. Riley to kill James "Grubbs" Grubbs. Local authorities noted Murphy’s history of eliminating competitors and his lack of racial involvement. The FBI also tracked Phillips’ movements and photographs, with no confirmed link to MLK’s assassination.  

Key People  
- **William Nethington**: Informant in Sullivan, Missouri, who relayed information about ROHER’s alleged KKK ties and plans for MLK’s assassination.  
- **MILFORD ROHER**: City policeman in Sullivan, Mississippi, described as a KKK member wearing purple robes, allegedly involved in planning MLK’s death.  
- **Carl Murphy Jr.**: Bootlegger in Tupelo, Mississippi, reportedly hired someone to kill James Grubbs; no confirmed link to MLK’s assassination.  
- **Robert Wayne Phillips**: Informant in Chicago who provided details about bootlegging operations and was photographed by the FBI.  
- **David Lamar Scott**: Known operator in northern Mississippi involved in whiskey violations.  

Key Locations  
- **Sullivan, Missouri**: Home of William Nethington and alleged meeting place for ROHER.  
- **Tupelo, Mississippi**: Area where Carl Murphy Jr. operated bootlegging activities.  
- **Sullivan, Mississippi**: Location of MILFORD ROHER’s police station.  
- **Chicago, Illinois**: FBI SAC office involved in tracking Phillips and related investigations.  
- **Jackson, Mississippi**: FBI SAC office handling inquiries into Phillips and Murphy.  

Key Events  
- **May 10, 1968**: Informant William Nethington reported ROHER’s alleged KKK involvement in planning MLK’s assassination.  
- **May 14, 1968**: FBI transmitted photographs of Robert Wayne Phillips to SAC Jackson for further investigation.  
- **May 20, 1968**: Additional photographs of Phillips were sent to Memphis and Chicago as part of the FBI’s tracking efforts.  
- **Ongoing investigations**: Efforts to locate Carl Murphy Jr. for questioning regarding alleged $2,500 offer to kill MLK; no confirmed results.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted surveillance, fingerprint analysis, and communications between SAC offices in Chicago, Jackson, and Memphis.  
- **Ku Klux Klan (KKK)**: Allegedly involved in planning MLK’s assassination through ROHER’s activities.  
- **Local law enforcement agencies**: Including police departments in Sullivan, Mississippi; Tupelo, Mississippi; and Saint Louis, Missouri, provided information on bootlegging operations and criminal activity.

MLK Declassified Files

44-cg-1114_738662_10-01.pdf

Document Summary

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