</s>4339 (BEV. 11-20-73) M. S. Department of Justice 44-H-8881 STATES 5551-5885 MATERIAL MUST NOT BE REMOVED FROM OR ADDED TO THIS FIL COPIED FOR DO NOT DESTROY HISTORICAL VALUE HIGH-8891 COPIEPOI PAPA HISTORTICAL ARCHIVES JUN 13-1977 BY FEDERAL BUREAU ENTIRE FILE REVIEWED FOR HISTORIAL DECLASSIFICATION of SECTION 82 SECTION 88 INVESTIGATION ATTENTION SECTION 83 BEFORE CHANGING CLASSIFICATION OR PROCESSING ANY DOCUMENT OR PROCESSIONING FOR RELEASE TO FROM THIS FILE FOR RELEASE to THE GENERAL PUBLIC, CONTACT FO/PA/SECTION UNIT D, EXT. 5767. F/O/J/OJ USE CARE IN HANDLING THIS FILE Transfer-Call 3421 2009 HILLAGE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI communications regarding James Earl Ray’s legal status and appeals related to his alleged conspiracy to assassinate Martin Luther King Jr. The Federal process on Ray’s conspiracy charge was pending, with no evidence supporting it, leading to its dismissal. Ray had ongoing state court appeals, and the FBI noted potential for future appellate actions. A request was made to consult the Department of Justice before releasing information about possible evidence. Additionally, discussions occurred about allowing Jim Bishop to write a book on the case, despite concerns about public relations and prior criticisms of the FBI. The FBI also addressed anonymous letters received by U.S. District Judge Robert M. McRae, noting they did not constitute threats or violations. Some documents reference unrelated cases, such as JFK and Jerry Lewis, but focus primarily on Ray’s legal proceedings and FBI investigative actions.  

Key People  
- James Earl Ray (alleged assassin of MLK Jr.)  
- John A. Parker (Supreme Court of Tennessee)  
- Robert C. Cole (Veterans Hospital, Chillicothe, Ohio)  
- Jim Bishop (proposed author of a book on the case)  
- Hon. David M. Pack (Tennessee Supreme Court)  
- Hon. Phil. M. Canale (District Attorney General, Shelby County)  
- Robert M. McRae (U.S. District Judge, Memphis, Tenn.)  

Key Locations  
- Memphis, Tennessee (FBI SAC office)  
- Cincinnati, Ohio (Mental Health Hospital, Chillicothe)  
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (postmarked letters)  
- Washington, D.C. (FBI headquarters)  
- Nashville, Tennessee (Tennessee Supreme Court)  

Key Events  
- FBI’s dismissal of conspiracy charges against Ray due to lack of evidence.  
- Ongoing state and federal appeals by Ray.  
- Discussions about releasing information to Reader’s Digest for a book on the case.  
- Analysis of anonymous letters received by Judge Robert M. McRae, deemed non-threatening.  
- FBI request for handwriting analysis of anonymous communications from the Philadelphia division.  

Key Organizations  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  
- U.S. Department of Justice  
- Tennessee Supreme Court  
- Veterans Hospital, Chillicothe, Ohio  
- San Francisco Police Department (mentioned in records)

MLK Declassified Files

44-hq-38861_hs1-233652821_26-03-part_1_of_5.pdf

Document Summary

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