</s>WARREN E. HEARNES GOVERNOR HALTER G. SARTORUS, CHAIRMAN CIRCUIT AND CRIMINAL COIRTS BEN & STEWART. MEMBER CIRCIUT AND CRIMEAL COIRATS BEN E ., STEWARD. MEMBER INTERMISSOURI STATE PENTENTIARY INTERMISSION STATTE PENTIENTARY E. D. ROBINSON, MEMBER MEDIUM SECURITY PRISON J. RAYMOND BILLS, SECRETARY WOMEN'S PENTIENTIARY STATE OF MISSOURI. WOMENS PENTINENTIARIARY BOARD OF PROBAITION AND PAROLE. December 20, 1966 Board of Probation and Parole Box 267 Jefferson City, Missouri Re: RAY, James Earl #00416-J Gentlemen: This 38 year old white male was seen for psychiatric evaluation on December 13, 1966. He was admitted here in March of 1960, to serve. a twenty year sentence for armed robbery. This is his first ad- mission to this institution. He has admitted here to serve in March and one of mission to his institution. In 1952, he served as a year and one and served two and one half years in Leavenworth for transporting stolen goods across the state line. He is presently charged with an escape attempt at March in 1966 and has recently been returned after an evaluation at the Fulton State has recently returned after a violation at an independent psychiatric evaluation state following their evaluation. This examiner only recently received this request from the Cole County Court (seely) they desire request from their county. However, court signed by judge they desire to have someone conduct an independent psychiatrist evaluation who was not connected with the administration. We informed him that he would not connect with his wishes to the court and possibly someone else might be Found. Ray is an interesting and rather complicated individual. He reports Ray is within the last year, he has had considerable difficulties from a physical point of view. Involving and/or cardiac and intracranial tension. that he commented that there were rather large words, he reported that Lennon was committed that he had rather large letters, and that he thought this that he has been able to hear trouble but he had no he thought that he could have certain life, but that he no longer feels this way. On certain days, he had certain large words; he has rather severe head pains <loc_852><loc_820><loc_852><loc_833><loc_83><loc_833>but this is only intermittent. He is now on library and works inter- migently on a construction job. Ray was born in Alton, Illinois, where his father worked for the rail-ad. Kith parents and now deceased. He havou younger sisters. He reached! <loc_83><loc_890>2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary:  
The documents detail internal prison records from the Missouri State Penitentiary (NSP) regarding inmate James Earl Ray (registration numbers W-00416-J, K-001616). They chronicle multiple escape attempts between March 1960 and March 1966, including an incident on March 12, 1966, where Ray was found on a tunnel roof leading to Major Polk's Office after escaping his cell. During a search, items such as a comb, broken mirror, razor blades, and pepper-filled cigars were recovered from his possession. The records note discrepancies in cell location logs (e.g., unrecorded transfer from K-1 to J-3-2) and mention corrective actions taken to update inmate records. Ongoing searches for Ray within the facility and surrounding areas are referenced, along with internal investigations into procedural errors.  

Key People:  
- **James Earl Ray** (P-7-0016) – Inmate involved in escape attempt  
- **Harold R. Swanson** – Warden of facility  
- **B.J. Polky** – Major associated with incident  
- **Sgt. James Whitworth** – Guard officer involved in record discrepancies  
- **Warden Stevenson** – Warden who introduced Ray at Control Center  
- **Officer Carl White** – Notified of Ray’s custody  

Key Locations:  
- **Control Center** – Primary location for inmate processing and searches  
- **Tunnel roof leading to Major Polk's Office** – Site of Ray’s escape  
- **J Hall Cleaner** – Mentioned as a transfer location  
- **Scobart, Joseph V. Roome** – Location where an individual was found hiding  

Key Events:  
- March 12, 1966: Inmate Ray escapes facility and is discovered on the tunnel roof  
- Search of Ray’s belongings reveals multiple items including razor blades, mirrors, and pepper-filled cigars  
- Discrepancies in inmate cell location records (K-1 to J-3-2) are noted  
- Internal investigation into procedural errors and record corrections  
- Ongoing searches for Ray within the facility and surrounding areas  

Key Organizations:  
- **Department of Corrections** – Central authority overseeing inmate management and security  
- **Control Center** – Facility responsible for inmate tracking and incident response  
- **Classification Committee** – Group involved in inmate transfer decisions

MLK Declassified Files

44-kc-760_404058_169-09-part_1_of_5.pdf

Document Summary

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