</s>FEB 19 1959 FEB 16 4 40 PiH 1969 FEB 31 FEB 13 / 5-5-7-6-6 FEB 10 /5-8-9-8.0-9.0 21.10€ 1.0A CX-1T-TOTHE 2.1-1-0T-0-0.0.2-0 2.0T0-2-1.1.2 1.5-1:0.1 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail legal proceedings and administrative records related to the trial of James Earl Ray in Shelby County, Tennessee, for the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. A motion was filed by Ray’s defense attorneys requesting that the prosecution stipulate testimony from witnesses residing outside Shelby County to avoid expenses associated with their transportation and maintenance during the trial. The court granted this motion, allowing for stipulated testimony instead of live witness appearances. Court orders appointed qualified court reporters and auxiliary reporters to ensure accurate transcripts, emphasizing the need for precision due to Ray’s potential death penalty charge. Administrative records also reference FBI/DOJ involvement in case management and legal motions. Additional fragmented entries include coded references (e.g., "MURKIN," "MAINST") and redaction notes under Executive Order 14176, suggesting ongoing declassification efforts for unspecified investigations linked to MLK.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Convicted of assassinating MLK; central figure in the trial and related legal motions.  
- **W. Preston Battle**: Judge presiding over Ray’s trial in Shelby County Criminal Court.  
- **Percy Foreman**: Defense counsel for Ray, citing illness and file retrieval issues as causes for trial delays.  
- **Arthur J. Hanes**: Former attorney for Ray; referenced in correspondence about withheld files.  
- **Vernon N. Short**: Court reporter appointed to record proceedings.  
- **Leonard E. Daylle, Ramon Del Rio Carchajal**: Names listed in administrative records.  

Key Locations  
- **Shelby County, Tennessee**: Site of MLK’s assassination and Ray’s trial.  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Home to Judge W. Preston Battle and the Shelby County Criminal Court.  
- **New Orleans**: Mentioned in context of coded references ("PANTER FMD DR 53773").  
- **London, England**: Referenced in extradition records and depositions related to Ray’s case.  

Key Events  
- **Motion for Stipulated Testimony**: Defense requested testimony from out-of-state witnesses via stipulation to avoid logistical costs; granted by the court.  
- **Court Order for Court Reporters**: Appointed qualified reporters and auxiliary staff to ensure accurate transcripts due to Ray’s death penalty charge.  
- **Trial Delays**: Caused by defense counsel Percy Foreman’s illness and incomplete file retrieval from prior attorneys.  
- **Administrative File Management**: Includes fragmented records with coded references ("MURKIN," "MAINST") and redaction notes under Executive Order 14176.  

Key Organizations  
- **Shelby County Criminal Court**: Venue for Ray’s trial, presided over by Judge W. Preston Battle.  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Involved in monitoring publications related to MLK’s assassination and case management.  
- **Department of Justice (DOJ)**: Referenced in administrative communications and legal proceedings.  
- **National Archives**: Mentioned in declassification instructions for records under Executive Order 14176.

MLK Declassified Files

44-hq-38861_hs1-233652821_23-06-part_5_of_5.pdf

Document Summary

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