</s>6-9-68 CODE CABLEGRAM URGENT 1 - Mr. McGowan 1 -Mr. Long TO LEGAT TOKYO FROM DIRECTOR FBI (44-38861) MURKIN. AT TIME OF ARREST IN LONDON, SUBJECT HAD IN HIS POSSESSION A THIRTYTEIGHT CALIBER "LIBERTY CHIEF" REVOLVER-MIROKU FIREARMS MANUFACTURING COMPANY ON BUTT AND NUMBER SEVEN ONE FIVE JAPAN. IMMEDIATELY ARRANGE FOR APPROPRIATE INVESTIGATION TO HAVE IMMEDICIALLY ARRANGED. SUCAB RESULTS. THIS GUN TRACED. 1 - MEMPHY 1 - Foreign Liaison Unit HEH-ergey 4343 (6) VIA TELETYPE JUNE 30 1968 6533 EFPY JUNG 1968 ENCIPHERED COPY Tolson Dolcech Dolcach Cameron Camerón Cameroon Camero Cameran Cameras Norton Nortons Torton 79 JUN 17 1968 Tortoni Torto Mall, Room Gandy MAIL ROOM TELETYPE UNIT L 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI communications regarding James Earl Ray’s arrest in London on June 9, 1968, for firearm possession and fraudulent passport entry into England. Ray was charged with violating the Firearms Act and held in custody until June 18, 1968. The FBI requested tracing of items found on him, including a thirty-eight caliber revolver (model Liberty Chief, serial number 715 Japan), a "MERC" transistor radio (RCA model, serial number 216 V S312 JIS006P), and a Polaroid camera (serial number ZD or ZOZ ONE TWO SEVEN ONE THREE ONE). The FBI coordinated with U.S. authorities to confirm Ray’s identity through fingerprints and sought assistance in extraditing him. A legal attache in London reported that Ray was not willing to waive extradition, and the FBI emphasized the need for testimony confirming his fingerprint match. The documents also reference ongoing investigations into passport applications linked to Ray’s 1967 prison escape and administrative notes on document handling under Executive Order 14176.  

The documents include legal proceedings from Shelby County, Tennessee, involving an indictment for first-degree murder against James Earl Ray (alias "Harvey Lometry," "Harvey Lonker") and others. The case references the killing of K.M. and K.E. King, Jr., with allegations of premeditated violence against the state of Tennessee. FBI communications regarding the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. are noted, including RCMP involvement in verifying photographs of suspect James Earl Ray. The FBI sought to review photographic evidence, noting that two women who visited Ray were older and not mentioned in a memorandum. Additional documents reference editorial responses to MLK’s assassination from newspapers like "The Washington Daily News" and "The Evening Star," sent to the FBI by the Attorney General.  

A letter dated May 29, 1968, outlines plans for the FBI to circulate information to U.S. physicians via Fisher Stevens, a mailing service. The proposal includes costs for preparing and distributing materials, with estimates ranging from $7,666 for full outsourcing to $2,061 for in-house FBI handling. Contact details for Mr. Ralph Powell, Fisher Stevens’ X-Agent, are provided, including a phone number (201 W.A. W.L-4-360). The document also references an enclosure labeled "ENCLOSURE 14.38.01-1835" and mentions a release under Executive Order 14176.  

Key People  
- James Earl Ray (arrested in London, charged with firearm possession and fraudulent entry; indicted for murder)  
- J. Edgar Hoover (FBI Director, thanked for cooperation)  
- Legal Attache in London (provided updates on Ray’s custody and extradition status)  
- Robert D. Johnson (Deputy Director, Passport Office, Department of State)  
- K.M. and K.E. King, Jr. (victims referenced in indictment)  
- Ralph Carpenter, Hassie Ruth Brown (witnesses)  
- Martin Luther King Jr. (assassination subject)  
- Joseph H. Gamble (Special Agent in Charge, FBI Birmingham, Alabama)  
- Joseph W. Lucca (Staff Counsel)  
- Ralph Powell (X-Agent, Fisher Stevens)  

Key Locations  
- London, England (Ray’s arrest and custody)  
- Memphis, Tennessee (FBI coordination and court references)  
- Washington, D.C. (U.S. Department of State and FBI headquarters)  
- Shelby County, Tennessee (criminal court proceedings)  
- Ottawa, Ontario (RCMP file reference)  
- Birmingham, Alabama (FBI office)  
- New York, N.Y. (Bristol-Myers Company address)  
- Clifton, New Jersey (Fisher Stevens location)  

Key Events  
- Ray’s arrest in London on June 9, 1968, for firearm possession and passport fraud  
- FBI efforts to trace items found on Ray (revolver, radio, camera)  
- Coordination between FBI, U.S. Department of Justice, and British authorities on extradition  
- Investigation into passport applications linked to Ray’s 1967 escape from prison  
- Indictment for first-degree murder in Shelby County, Tennessee (likely anachronistic or typographical error)  
- FBI investigation into MLK’s assassination, including RCMP photographic verification  
- Review of driver’s license photo permits and associated costs  
- Circulation of newspaper editorials addressing MLK’s assassination to the FBI  
- Planning for FBI circularization of U.S. physicians via Fisher Stevens  

Key Organizations  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  
- United States Department of State (Passport Office)  
- U.S. Department of Justice (Legal Attache in London)  
- Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)  
- Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)  
- Attorney General’s Office (Tennessee)  
- Fisher Stevens (mailing service)  
- Bristol-Myers Company (address provided in text)  
- Executive Order 14176 (document release authorization)

MLK Declassified Files

44-hq-38861_hs1-233652821_16-03-part_6_of_6.pdf

Document Summary

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