</s>FO-302 (Rev. 4:15:46) FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION Date: 4/25/69 1 Mrs. BERRY (SHIRLEY) SMITH, owner and manager, El-Ray Motel, Highway 45 South, Corinth, Mississippi, made available the motel registration records for the period March 29, 1968, to April 3, 1968. These records reveal the names of guests as follows: Mr. and Mrs. GRADY THOMPSON Route 1 Cherokee, Alabama Mr. & Mrs. and Mr. &. H. HOLMES 1571 5th Avenue Vero Beach, Florida Florida License 32W-5673, Oldsmobile JIMMY SINTER 6111 Prushing Danvers Grove, Illinois T. W. RICHARDSON Sims, Illinois L. L. ROBERTSON Sims, Illinois JAMES JOHNSON Chicago, Illinois Illinois license IL 4692, Oldmobile J. LAMBERT 1508 N. Elk Grove Chicago, Illinois BERT YAGER 4203 S. Sheridan Zion, Illinois Illinois License M8662, Pontiac Tempest 4/21/69, Corinth. Mississippi Jackson 157-9586 On- 4/2/69. Corinth, Mississippi File #: H. 545-498 SA DONALD H. GREENE /bdb SEARCHED by: SA DONALD H. GREENE /bdd Date SCRACERATED HELD MIDED AGENCY: This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusions of the FBI. It is the property of the FBI. It's the property or of MARY/MARY/D/1969. Bend its contents are not to be distributed outside your agency. EBI-CLEVELAND MAA 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

The documents detail FBI records spanning April 1969 to August 1976, focusing on administrative and investigative activities related to the Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) assassination case. They include motel registration data from Corinth, Mississippi, for March–April 1968, listing guests such as Grady Thompson, H. Holmes, Jimmy Sinter, and license plate information. The Jackson Division FBI compiled these records to identify potential links to MLK’s assassination, with references to James Earl Ray (JER) appearing in multiple entries, including a "Look" magazine article alleging his presence near Corinth on April 28, 1968. Internal FBI communications mention the "MURKIN" investigation and directives to halt further action in Cleveland and Memphis. In July 1976, the Department of Justice ordered a review of the FBI’s handling of the case, focusing on four questions: investigation integrity, FBI involvement, new evidence, and disciplinary actions. The task force reviewed files from multiple field offices, including Memphis, Milwaukee, Kansas City, Omaha, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, with plans to examine additional locations. Cleveland submitted serials, newspaper clippings, and photos of Alfred Joseph Kaminiski (sent to Memphis in 1968).  

Administrative records from August–December 1976 include cost data, personnel logs, and file management instructions. The FBI’s Cleveland field office reported no unusual costs for the MLK investigation during this period. Instructions were issued to field offices to inventory and submit copies of all serials related to the King assassination file (L-567-510) and associated cases, including communist infiltration files (e.g., SCLC, CIRM). The Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) reviewed these materials, and the House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA) was referenced in context of broader agency compliance with FOIA requests.  

Additional records reference FBI files retained under Executive Order 14176 for evidentiary, intelligence, or historical value. These include investigations into allegations linked to Leon Fowell in Atlanta, Georgia, involving interactions with the HSCA and interviews with witnesses such as Raymond Godfrey and William Web. A file destruction order (File No. 44-565) determined certain records should be retained due to their historical significance. The FBI agent Thomas J. Wilson conducted the Atlanta investigation, with mentions of potential contempt charges against Claude Powell for non-cooperation.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray** (JER): Central figure in the investigation; referenced in motel records and Cleveland files.  
- **Martin Luther King Jr.** (MLK): Assassinated on April 4, 1968; central focus of FBI investigations.  
- **Alfred Joseph Kaminiski**: Mentioned in Cleveland’s files with photos and case prints sent to Memphis.  
- **Special Agents**: Donald H. Greene (Jackson Division), SACs in Memphis, Cleveland, and other locations; Stephen P. White III (GS-13), Mary Ann Rustile (GS-7), Donald L. Williams.  
- **Leon Fowell**: Alleged individual under scrutiny in the Atlanta investigation.  
- **Raymond Godfrey**, **William Web**, **Claude Powell**, **Leon Powell**, **May Godfrey**: Witnesses or individuals mentioned in investigations.  

Key Locations  
- **Corinth, Mississippi**: Motel registration records reviewed for March–April 1968.  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: FBI office involved in the investigation; recipient of documents including a Bureau of Employees Compensation directory.  
- **Cleveland, Ohio**: Task force headquarters for the 1976 review; submitted files and serials.  
- **Jackson, Mississippi**: FBI division responsible for initial motel record reviews.  
- **Atlanta, Georgia**: Site of the investigation involving Leon Fowell and related witnesses.  
- **Washington, D.C.**: Bureau headquarters, OPR, HSCA.  

Key Events  
- **April 25, 1969**: FBI compiled motel registration records from Corinth, Mississippi, for March–April 1968.  
- **May 14, 1969**: FBI instructed Jackson to review JER’s potential connections via motel registrations and license numbers.  
- **July 28, 1976**: Department of Justice ordered a task force to review the FBI’s handling of MLK’s assassination case.  
- **August 4, 1976**: Cleveland submitted files, including serials and newspaper clippings, for the task force review.  
- **Submission of cost data** (August–December 1976): No unusual manpower or costs noted for the MLK investigation.  
- **Inventory instructions** (1976): Field offices directed to submit copies of all serials in the King assassination file (L-567-510) and related cases (e.g., SCLC infiltration).  
- **File destruction order** (File No. 44-565): Determined retention of records due to historical value.  
- **Investigation into Leon Fowell** (Atlanta, Georgia): Involving HSCA interactions and witness interviews.  
- **Review by OPR and HSCA**: Materials related to JFK and MLK assassinations examined for compliance with FOIA requests.  

Key Organizations  
- **FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation)**: Conducted primary investigation; involved multiple field offices.  
- **Department of Justice**: Oversaw 1976 review via a task force.  
- **Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR)**: Directed the Department of Justice task force to evaluate FBI actions.  
- **House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA)**: Involved in reviewing FBI findings and inquiries.  
- **Bureau of Employees Compensation**: Mentioned as a recipient of documents in Memphis.

MLK Declassified Files

44-cv-565_738446_03-04-part_7_of_7.pdf

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