Summary:  
The documents detail FBI investigations spanning 1963–1968 related to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., focusing on James Earl Ray as a suspect. In 1968, the Bureau analyzed fingerprint evidence from hotel registration cards in Memphis, Tennessee, linked to Vincent Walker and Lawrence Rand, while coordinating with the Memphis Police Department to verify identities through fingerprint comparisons. Investigations also traced Ray’s movements prior to his escape from Shelby County Jail in 1967, including correspondence from Camp Marcos, California. Legal proceedings involving Judge W. Preston Battle addressed evidence disclosure for Ray’s case. Additional records reference a contract between Hue and Ray for writing about the assassination, inquiries into a $100 bill with markings tied to J. W. McMillan in Marietta, Georgia, and federal legal discussions regarding requests from individuals like "MURKIN." Administrative notes mention document release under Executive Orders 14176/14178 and file numbers such as 44-38861.  

Key People:  
- James Earl Ray (suspect in MLK Jr.’s assassination)  
- Vincent Walker (suspected associate)  
- Lawrence Rand (suspected associate)  
- Leon William Short (individual under investigation)  
- Arthur Hanes (connected to the case)  
- Mr. Huie (involved in legal discussions)  
- J. W. McMillan (linked to a $100 bill inquiry)  
- Judge W. Preston Battle (legal proceedings related to Ray’s case)  
- Martin Luther King Jr.  

Key Locations:  
- Memphis, Tennessee (central to hotel investigations and police coordination)  
- Shelby County Jail (Ray’s incarceration prior to escape)  
- Camp Marcos, California (linked to correspondence with Ray)  
- Marietta, Georgia (location tied to a $100 bill inquiry)  
- Birmingham, Alabama  
- Atlanta, Georgia  
- Washington, D.C.  

Key Events:  
- FBI fingerprint analysis of hotel registration cards from the William Len Hotel in Memphis  
- Investigation into Vincent Walker and Lawrence Rand’s movements post-April 4, 1968 (date of MLK Jr.’s assassination)  
- Coordination between FBI and Memphis Police Department to verify suspect identities  
- Legal proceedings involving Judge W. Preston Battle regarding evidence disclosure for James Earl Ray’s case  
- Contract between Hue and James Earl Ray for writing about the assassination  
- FBI inquiry into a $100 bill with markings linked to J. W. McMillan in Marietta, Georgia  
- Legal discussions regarding handling requests from individuals like "MURKIN" and potential federal grand jury actions  
- Administrative notes on document classification and release under Executive Orders 14176/14178  

Key Organizations:  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  
- Memphis Police Department  
- Shelby County Criminal Court, Memphis, Tennessee  
- United States Department of Justice  
- Atlanta Federal Savings and Loan Bank  
- House Select Committee on Assassinations (referred to in context of congressional inquiry)

MLK Declassified Files

44-hq-38861_hs1-233652821_21-04-part_4_of_4.pdf

Document Summary

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