</s>MARLER I've called you. I've called Mobile. I've called called Atlanta. Ive called Memphis. I ve called called and talked to this judge, uh ... I've talked to, uh, Warden DAVIS at the penitentiary in Tennessee. I have done already talked to him. UP Well okay. Well I ... MARLER Lady. But I blind and I don't know how long I'm gon live. But i'm gon tell you ... that man did not kill MARTIN LUTHER KING. They've got the wrong man. Well okay ... I got the situation and I'll, (unintelligible). I'll pass it on. MARLER I'll appreciate it. UF I appreciate it ... MARLER Wait ... are you in Bessermer? UF Yes sir. MarLER Well that's where it came from. Now let me tell you Something else. UP Where what came from? MARLER Where information came from .. UP Are you in Bessemer? MARLER That's where I'll all came from in Bessesermer, Homewood That'S where it all came From in Bessemer, Homewood right? Now and do you know the man ...... are you still on? UF Yes I'm (unIntelligible) MARLER Okay you know they said the man, the gun that killed KING came from Homewod whatever right. That Woods boy. I hope you're getting all this down. There was woods boy. boy that sold him my gun. You see lady ... UH huh. UP MARLER I'm the man that brought the gun. 6 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary: The documents detail FBI investigative efforts related to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., focusing on James Earl Ray as a suspect. On December 17, 1963, Memphis Division conducted index checks on individuals associated with Ray and others, yielding negative results. The Shelby County Attorney General's Office (SCAG) was involved in an investigation into allegations that James Earl Ray was not the perpetrator, based on statements from Lloyd Jowers. The FBI maintained liaison with SCAG and Florida Department of Justice to monitor developments. In 1994-1995, updates were provided on ongoing investigations, including a newspaper clipping referenced by Mark K. Glankler (CID, SCAG). A letter from Donald W. Thompson, Acting Assistant Director of the FBI's Civil Rights Unit, discussed re-examination of firearms evidence, noting that forensic analyses conducted in 1968 and subsequent reviews by multiple panels concluded no conclusive link between the fatal bullet and the recovered rifle. The FBI offered assistance if requested for further analysis.  

Key People: James Earl Ray, Lloyd Jowers, Mark K. Glankler (CID, SCAG), Frank Holt, Donald W. Thompson, Jr., Shelby County Attorney General's Office personnel.  

Key Locations: Memphis, Tennessee; Orlando, Florida; Washington, D.C. (FBI headquarters).  

Key Events: Index checks on suspects in 1963, FBI-SCAG collaboration, re-examination of firearms evidence by FBI Laboratory, court proceedings involving appeals and special prosecutors, discontinuation of 60-day status updates.  

Key Organizations: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Shelby County Attorney General's Office, House Select Committee on Assassinations, Florida Department of Justice.

MLK Declassified Files

44-hq-38861_hs1-233652821_31-03-part_3_of_3.pdf

Document Summary

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