</s>4-596 (REV. 1:2-0-073) H. S. Department of Justice 44-Hc-888861 SEXAS 61313-6134 MATERIAL MUST NOT BE REMOVED FROM OR ADDED TO THIS FIL SECTION 88 ENTIRE FILE REVIEWED OR HISTORICAL DECLASSIFICATION FEDERAL BUREAU COPIED FOR FOI PofK DO NOT DESTROY SECTION 188 JUN 27/27/BY 1:03 HISTORICIAL VALUE NATIONAL ARCHIVES INVESTIGATION SECTION88 SERIALS 611313 - 61314 ATTENTION SECTION 86 BEFORE CHANGING CLASSIFICATION OR PROCESSING ANY DOCUMENT OR PROCESSIONING FOR RELEASE TO FROM THIS FILE FOR RELEASE to THE GENERAL PUBLIC, CONTACT FOI/PA SECTION UNIT D, EXT. 5767. USE CARE IN HANDLING THIS FILE FB/DOJ ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN BY CLARCLAS Transfer-Call 3421 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
This document compiles internal Department of Justice (DOJ) communications and legal memos discussing the FBI’s investigation into Martin Luther King Jr., including electronic surveillance, harassment allegations, and access requests by his estate. Key themes include debates over releasing classified materials under FOIA/Privacy Act guidelines, concerns about litigation risks from pending lawsuits by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), and balancing transparency with privacy protections. The Attorney General’s office weighed discretionary release of documents against potential criticism or legal challenges, emphasizing the need for review of court filings before final decisions.  

Key People  
- **Martin Luther King Jr.**  
- **James Earl Ray** (convicted of assassination in 1969)  
- **Floyd Newsum** (Memphis police officer involved in security measures)  
- **Edward Redditt** (Memphis police detective removed from duty before King’s assassination)  
- **Frank Holling** (Memphis Police Director who ordered Redditt’s removal)  
- **W.B. Richmond** (mentioned in FBI review of potential threats against King)  
- **Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)**  
- **Bernard Lee** (SCLC executive involved in lawsuits against FBI)  
- **U.S. Secret Service agents** (alleged involvement in monitoring King’s security)  

Key Locations  
- **Memphis, Tennessee** (Lorraine Motel, Memphis Police Department)  
- **Washington, D.C.** (House of Representatives, DOJ offices)  
- **Buffalo, New York** (Floyd Newsum’s location mentioned in budget records)  
- **Dallas, Texas** (FBI office with personnel costs for MLK-related investigations)  

Key Events  
- **Removal of Memphis police detective Edward Redditt from duty** prior to King’s assassination on April 4, 1968, citing an emergency plan to protect him from an alleged assassin.  
- **FBI review of news articles** dated February 15 and September 18, 1976, requesting Memphis SAC (Special Agent in Charge) to assess potential threats against King and police department involvement.  
- **House Select Committee vote on September 18, 1976**, authorizing an investigation into the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., with a final tally of 280–65 in favor.  
- **Budget records from Denver and Dallas FBI offices** detailing personnel costs for MLK-related investigations, including overtime hours and expenses like Xerox paper.  
- **Pending lawsuits** (Bernard Lee v. Kelley and SCLC v. Kelley) alleging FBI surveillance of King and his associates, with DOJ delaying document releases pending review of court filings.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**  
- **U.S. Secret Service**  
- **Memphis Police Department**  
- **Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)**  
- **House Select Committee on Assassinations (1976)**  
- **Internal Revenue Service (IRS)** (mentioned in budget context)  

Key Legal and Administrative Context  
- **FOIA/Privacy Act conflicts**: DOJ officials debated whether discretionary releases of classified materials should override standard FOIA procedures, citing risks of overburdening staff and potential legal challenges.  
- **Court filings review**: The Attorney General mandated review of summons and complaints from SCLC lawsuits before finalizing document access decisions.  
- **Legal precedents**: References to *Alderman v. United States* (1969) and *United States v. Nixon* (1974) highlighted tensions between transparency and privacy in handling surveillance records.  
- **Ethical considerations**: Concerns arose about misinterpretation of preferential treatment for MLK’s attorneys, potentially undermining judicial precedents like *Eldridge Cleaver v. United States* (1972).

MLK Declassified Files

44-hq-38861_hs1-233652821_29-03-part_1_of_5.pdf

Document Summary

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