</s>44- HQ-38861 E5788 8861-5788 88 44-HQ-38881-157908 ATTENTION BEFORE CHANGING CLASSIFICATION OR PROCESSING ANY DOCUMENT FROM THIS FILE FOR RELEASE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, CONTACT FOI/PA SECTION UNIT D, EXT. 5767. F/B/D/OJ 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
This document is a legal petition filed by James Earl Ray, who was convicted of assassinating Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968. The petition alleges that his attorneys, Arthur J. Hanes and Percy Foreman, conspired against him, violating his civil rights and contractual obligations. Ray claims that Hanes and Foreman prioritized their financial interests over his legal defense, leading to a coerced guilty plea and a 99-year prison sentence. He asserts that the defendants exploited his lack of legal knowledge, manipulated the judicial process, and suppressed his right to a fair trial. The petition seeks to void contracts between Ray and the attorneys, block media exposure of case details, and hold the defendants accountable for civil rights violations under federal law.  

Key People  
- James Earl Ray: Petitioner convicted of MLK's assassination; alleges wrongful conviction and legal misconduct by his attorneys.  
- Arthur J. Hanes: Attorney in Alabama who allegedly negotiated exclusive rights to Ray’s life story and murder case.  
- Percy Foreman: Lawyer from Texas who represented Ray, accused of pressuring him to plead guilty and exploiting contractual terms for financial gain.  
- William Buele (Hudie): Co-respondent alleged to have colluded with Hanes and Foreman in the conspiracy against Ray.  

Key Locations  
- Memphis, Tennessee: Site of the trial and sentencing; location of the court case.  
- Alabama: Where Arthur J. Hanes practiced law and negotiated contracts with Ray.  

Key Events  
- Legal proceedings involving James Earl Ray’s conviction for MLK’s assassination (1968).  
- Alleged conspiracy between attorneys Hanes, Foreman, and Hudie to exploit Ray’s legal case for financial gain.  
- Coercion of Ray into a guilty plea through contractual agreements and threats to his legal rights.  
- Claims of judicial misconduct, including restrictions on press statements by Judge Preston Battle (deceased).  
- Petition seeking voidance of contracts, injunction against media exposure, and civil rights violations under 42 U.S.C. § 1985.  

Key Organizations  
- American Bar Association: Mentioned in relation to ethical violations (Canon No. 6) by attorneys involved.  
- Federal courts: Including the Western District of Tennessee and the Supreme Court of the United States, referenced in legal proceedings.

MLK Declassified Files

44-hq-38861_hs1-233652821_25-06.pdf

Document Summary

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