</s>HANES: My name is Hanes, I'm a lawyer from Birmingham, Alabama, representing Sneyd or Ray that's in prison here. I notified the Attorney General yesterday morning at 11:30 for the purpose of coming over here to waive extradition and get this man back to the United States. also requested in a letter to him back to go to the United States. Have you heard anything about that? HERFURT: I did talk to Mr. Vinson yesterday and he informed me of the fact that he had had you to you that it was impossible to accompany Mr. Ray. HANIES: I did not receive that letter. Do you know anything of the plans to return him? HANEs: No, I do not. Of course, as of midnight tonight his time will have HANes: expired. I'm getting ready to announce to the press here that we will waive extraordination to get back Lancaster Hotel. I would insist, this man wishes that I go back him. He is afraid of going back in I just wanted to leave as he was officially. If it is custody alone. Least he has said that he would be officially. man is turned over to see him and to talk to this man before his departure. Iwould like to appraised of his departure. HERFURET: I do not know the plans. HANESE: They will be dealing through your office. HERFURI: It's possible. HANESH: It's will know about it when they're made? The British Home Office. HERFURL: It's Possible that they will deal directly with the British Home Office. HANETS: If you do hear from them, I'm at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, Room 501, and I shall be around here. Leave word for me. All right. HERFURES: HANÉS: No mention of a flat turndown at that time. Maybe the letter came after left or maybe today. I reiterate that interrogated without my presence, that would like to visit with him alone prior to his departure to the Chu States. If not permitted to accompany him back, I want to see Him HERFURN: If I am not talking to Washington today, I will convey your request: HANSE: Thank you, Sir.

The documents detail FBI investigations into the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968, at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. Key accounts include witness statements from Solomon Jones (a chauffeur), Walter Bailey (motel owner), and Chauny Eskridge (SCLC counsel) describing Dr. King’s presence at the motel, the gunshot heard around 6:00 p.m., and his fall to the ground. Jones noted the sound resembled a firecracker but confirmed it was a real shot, while Bailey described feeling the impact of the gunfire in the northern section of the hotel. Eskridge reported hearing one gunshot from Mulberry Street or behind houses overlooking the street but could not identify the shooter.  

Other witnesses, including MC Cullough and Mr. Charles Stephens (Room 6B, Lorraine Hotel), provided accounts of gunfire near the motel and a man fleeing with a bundle. Mrs. Bessie Brewer (rooming house manager) noted tenant John Willard, described as clean-shaven and wearing a dark suit, renting Room 5-B. William Anschutz (Room 4B, Lorraine Hotel) heard gunfire around 6:00 p.m. and saw a man running from the hotel with a wrapped package. Witnesses described a suspect with a sharp nose, sandy hair, and dark clothing seen near the hotel and rooming house areas.  

The FBI compiled these statements as part of an investigation, noting inconsistencies in witness accounts and physical descriptions. Physical evidence, including a Browning Mauser rifle, ammunition, and personal belongings recovered from a rooming house at 4221 S. Main Street, was analyzed by the FBI Laboratory. The Memphis Police Department Homicide Bureau and Medical Examiner’s office were involved in documenting the crime scene and victim’s condition.  

Key People:  
- **Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.**: Victim of the assassination.  
- **Solomon Jones**: Chauffeur who reported Dr. King’s presence at the Lorraine Motel and witnessed the shooting.  
- **Walter Bailey**: Motel owner confirming Dr. King’s frequent stays and describing the gunfire impact.  
- **Chauny Eskridge**: SCLC counsel who observed Dr. King’s activities and noted the gunshot direction.  
- **MC Cullough**: Witness who reported hearing gunfire and seeing a man flee with a bundle.  
- **Mr. Charles Stephens**: Room 6B occupant at Lorraine Hotel who described a man running down a hallway with a package.  
- **Mrs. Bessie Brewer**: Rooming house manager providing details on tenant John Willard.  
- **John Willard**: Suspected tenant at Room 5-B; described as clean-shaven, wearing a dark suit, and possibly carrying a weapon.  
- **William Anschutz**: Room 4B occupant who heard gunfire and saw a man fleeing the hotel.  

Key Locations:  
- **Lorraine Motel, Memphis, Tennessee**: Site of Dr. King’s assassination; multiple witnesses reported gunshots and sightings of a suspect.  
- **Rooming House at 4221 S. Main Street, Memphis**: Location where tenants provided accounts of suspicious activity, including prolonged bathroom use and a confrontation involving an unknown man.  
- **Memphis Police Department Homicide Bureau**: Involved in the investigation alongside the FBI.  

Key Events:  
- **April 4, 1968**: Dr. King was shot and killed at the Lorraine Motel around 6:00 p.m.  
- **Evidence Collection**: Items including a Browning Mauser rifle, ammunition, and personal belongings were recovered from a rooming house and analyzed by the FBI Laboratory.  
- **Witness Interviews**: Residents of the rooming house reported unusual behavior, such as prolonged bathroom use and a confrontation involving an unknown man.  
- **Medical Examination**: The Medical Examiner’s office documented Dr. King’s injuries and cause of death.  

Key Organizations:  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Led the investigation, including evidence collection and witness interviews.  
- **Memphis Police Department**: Collaborated with the FBI on the case.  
- **Department of Defense/US Air Force**: Involved in the transportation of evidence to Washington, D.C.  

Notes:  
- The documents contain fragmented or incomplete information due to formatting errors (e.g., repeated text, missing punctuation).  
- Physical evidence and witness accounts were central to the investigation.  
- The FBI emphasized that these documents do not include recommendations or conclusions but are part of case records.

MLK Declassified Files

44-hq-38861-bulky_hs1-233652821_80-08-part_1_of_2.pdf

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