</s>44- HQ-38861 E5710 8861-5710 #44-HQ-38961-E57108 ATTENTION BEFORE CHANGING CLASSIFICATION OR PROCESSING ANY DOCUMENT FROM THIS FILE FOR RELEASE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, CONTACT FO/PA SECTION UNIT D, EXT. 5767. F/B/DD/ 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail legal proceedings and contractual arrangements involving James Earl Ray, Arthur J. Hanes, Percy Foreman, William Bradford Huie, and William Bradford Hull (likely a variant or misspelling of "Hull") between 1966 and 1969. Central to the records are agreements regarding media rights, book deals, and financial terms tied to Ray’s alleged involvement in the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. A 1969 U.S. District Court order permitted attorney Robert W. Hill, Jr., access to Ray incarcerated at Tennessee State Penitentiary for legal consultations. Ray challenged contracts with Foreman and Huie, alleging ethical violations and financial exploitation, including pressure to plead guilty in exchange for compensation. Contracts outline royalties, advances, and distribution of proceeds from publications or films related to the MLK assassination case. Additional documents reference literary rights transfers from Hanes to Ray, termination of Hanes’ role as attorney, assignment of legal representation to Foreman, and publication of materials about MLK’s assassination in *Look* Magazine (owned by Cowles Communications, Inc.) and a book by Dell Publishing Co., Inc.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Accused of assassinating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., incarcerated at Tennessee State Penitentiary.  
- **Robert W. Hill, Jr.**: Attorney granted access to Ray for legal consultations.  
- **Percy Foreman**: Attorney accused of ethical violations and alleged financial exploitation of Ray; recipient of legal and financial rights from contractual agreements.  
- **William Bradford Huie**: Lawyer involved in contracts with Ray regarding media rights and book deals.  
- **Arthur J. Hanes**: Former attorney for Ray, involved in transfers of literary rights and negotiations for publications.  
- **William Bradford Hull** (likely a misspelling or variant of "Hull"): Author of literary material about MLK’s assassination; referenced in contractual agreements.  

Key Locations  
- **Tennessee State Penitentiary** (Memphis, TN): Site of Ray’s incarceration.  
- **Shelby County Jail** (Memphis, TN): Mentioned in correspondence between Ray and attorneys.  
- **Houston, Harris County, Texas**: Location of Percy Foreman’s legal practice.  

Key Events  
- **1969 U.S. District Court Order**: Granted attorney access to James Earl Ray for legal consultations.  
- **Ray’s Petition**: Alleged misconduct by Percy Foreman, including pressure to plead guilty for financial gain.  
- **Contractual Agreements**: Outlined media rights, book deals, and payment terms related to MLK’s assassination; included transfers of literary rights from Arthur J. Hanes to Ray.  
- **Termination of Hanes’ Role**: Hanes’ role as attorney for Ray was terminated, with legal representation assigned to Foreman.  
- **Publication of Materials**: Literary content about MLK’s assassination published in *Look* Magazine and by Dell Publishing Co., Inc.  

Key Organizations  
- **U.S. District Court (Middle District of Tennessee)**: Issued the 1969 order granting attorney access to Ray.  
- **Cowles Communications, Inc.**: Publisher of *Look* Magazine, which featured materials about MLK’s assassination.  
- **Dell Publishing Co., Inc.**: Publisher of a book related to MLK’s assassination and its alleged connection to James Earl Ray.  
- **DREAMER Publishing Company**: Mentioned in negotiations for film and book projects tied to the MLK assassination case.

MLK Declassified Files

44-hq-38861_hs1-233652821_25-07.pdf

Document Summary

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