</s>D1-19- UNITED STATES GOVE.AMENT. Memorandum PARTMENT OF JUSTICE TO Director Federal Bureau of Investigation DATE: April 4, 1968 Stephen J. Pollak Assistant Attorney General. Civil Rights Division SUBJECT: Unknown subject(s) Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Victim, C. MURKIN Conspiracy Against Rights, CIVIL RIGHTS I have been advised by telephone that Dr. Martin Luther KING was this date shot and wounded by an undentied person or person in Memphis, Tennessee, where he traveled to lead a demonstration march scheduled for April 8, 1968. Please conduct a full investigation into a possible violation of 18 U.S.C. 241 and keep me currently advised of all developments. Junttylle Ordland EX.I. 114-38861-107 REC. IN 12 APR 17 1968 EXCLOSURE, 49-38861-G0-0-4 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968. The U.S. Department of Justice directed the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to investigate potential violations of 18 U.S.C. § 241, leading to the identification of James Earl Ray as the assassin. Ray was convicted in Shelby County, Tennessee, on March 10, 1969, and sentenced to a 99-year term; his conviction was appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. In 1976, the House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA) sought access to FBI and Department of Justice records related to King’s assassination and President John F. Kennedy’s murder. The Department of Justice raised concerns about privacy, ongoing legal proceedings, and local prosecutions, while the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) found no evidence of FBI misconduct in the case.  

The FBI investigated claims that Alfred William Martinez, an inmate at Salt Lake City County Jail from June 1967 to March 1968, wrote letters on behalf of William Simpson, a federal prisoner who died in Springfield, Missouri, on July 14, 1968. The letters allegedly urged contact with James Earl Ray to plan a "big job" related to King’s assassination. The FBI reviewed prison records, correspondence, and legal proceedings involving Simpson, Martinez, and Ray but found no direct connection between Simpson and Martinez. A Supreme Court case (76-5508) filed by Ray against Warden J.H. Rose contained no serious allegations against the FBI.  

Teletype messages from FBI Special Agents in Charge (SACs) in November–December 1976 indicated no costs or manpower were incurred for MLK-related investigations during those periods. The communications referenced Bureau directives from August 6, 1976, and administrative compliance with Executive Order 14176 regarding document release.  

Key People  
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: Civil rights leader assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968.  
- James Earl Ray: Convicted murderer of Dr. King; appealed his conviction to the U.S. Supreme Court.  
- Thomas N. Downing: Chairman of the House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA); requested access to investigative files.  
- Stephen J. Pollak: Assistant Attorney General who initially directed the FBI investigation.  
- Alfred William Martinez: Inmate at Salt Lake City County Jail from June 1967 to March 1968; arrested multiple times for burglary and public intoxication.  
- William Simpson: Fingerprinted in Salt Lake City County in 1966; died at Medical Center for Federal Prisoners, Springfield, Missouri, on July 14, 1968.  
- Warden J.H. Rose: Subject of a Supreme Court case (76-5508) filed by James Earl Ray.  

Key Locations  
- Memphis, Tennessee: Site of Dr. King’s assassination.  
- Shelby County, Tennessee: Jurisdiction where James Earl Ray was tried and convicted.  
- Salt Lake City County Jail: Site of Alfred William Martinez’s incarceration (1967–1968).  
- Medical Center for Federal Prisoners, Springfield, Missouri: Location of William Simpson’s death.  
- FBI headquarters: Central location for investigative records and administrative reporting.  

Key Events  
- April 4, 1968: Dr. King assassinated in Memphis; FBI investigation initiated.  
- March 10, 1969: James Earl Ray convicted of murder in Tennessee state court.  
- November–December 1976: FBI conducted investigations into Alfred William Martinez’s alleged involvement with William Simpson and James Earl Ray; teletype messages indicated no costs or manpower spent on MLK-related matters during this period.  
- December 1976: Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) completed a preliminary review of records related to Dr. King’s case, finding no evidence of FBI misconduct.  
- November 1976: House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA) requested access to FBI and Department of Justice files on the assassination; Department of Justice raised concerns about privacy and legal proceedings.  

Key Organizations  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI): Conducted initial investigation into Dr. King’s assassination, reviewed prison records, and managed administrative reporting for MLK-related matters.  
- U.S. Department of Justice: Directed FBI investigation and managed access to records; oversaw legal proceedings involving James Earl Ray.  
- House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA): Requested review of files related to Dr. King’s assassination and President John F. Kennedy’s murder.  
- Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR): Reviewed investigative procedures for potential misconduct in the case.  
- FBI Special Agents in Charge (SACs) in Boston, Philadelphia, Tampa, Norfolk, Salt Lake City, and Las Vegas: Provided administrative reports on budgetary data for MLK-related investigations.

MLK Declassified Files

44-hq-38861_hs1-233652821_29-04-part_4_of_5.pdf

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