</s>September 25, 1964, Stabbing of colored men - June 8, 1964 - Missouri State Prison 3. Brumer stated that he would testify in court if necessary, however, he did appear combar solicitant in deciding to do so. C. C. Maddox, Bergant CC.C.Mira co.CiRra Colonel Carter Harrison Rich Prosecuting Attorney, Cole County 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail multiple investigations into James Earl Ray’s activities, his alleged connections to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., and incidents at Missouri State Prison. In 1964, four colored inmates—Emett Franklin, Robert W. Mitchell, A.P. Parks, and Roscoe Odaster Simmons—were stabbed during an altercation in a prison tunnel; Simmons died shortly after. The Missouri State Highway Patrol and Department of Corrections recovered five knives (three with blood) and noted racial tensions among inmates. In 1968, another stabbing occurred at the same facility. FBI records reference Charles Joseph Stein’s re-interview about his meetings with Eric Galt (later identified as James Earl Ray), who allegedly made phone calls in New Orleans and Los Angeles related to an assassination plot. The FBI sought to trace these calls through Stein’s recollections of travel routes. Separate investigations into Ray’s movements included sightings of a 1959–1960 Ford with license plate EZR-721, linked to Saul John of Turlock, California, and comparisons of a dark blue Mustang in Georgia to photographs of Ray. Inmate records from Missouri State Penitentiary were reviewed for potential ties to Ray, including former inmates like David Don McFarlin and Michael Key Clark, who may have used the name Eric Galt. Mail forwarding services linked to Galt’s address were investigated, with claims he never received mail through the service. Galt was associated with a swinger club in Downey, California, and placed a newspaper advertisement in the Los Angeles Free Press seeking discreet meetings with a married female. A black-and-white Chevrolet pickup truck tied to Galt or Ray was noted for its movements and suspected use in crimes, including bank robberies linked to Richard Lee Ogg.  

Key People  
- Roscoe Odaster Simmons (victim of 1964 stabbing)  
- A.P. Parks (stabbed inmate)  
- Robert W. Mitchell (stabbed inmate)  
- Emett Franklin (stabbed inmate)  
- James Earl Ray (identified as Eric Galt, linked to MLK assassination)  
- Charles Joseph Stein (testified about interactions with Ray)  
- Louis Lomax (connected to Stein’s publicity and MLK context)  
- Saul John (individual resembling Ray, linked to California license plate)  
- John R. Keller (prisoner whose records were reviewed for potential ties to Ray)  
- Jeffrey Merritt (former inmate at Missouri State Penitentiary)  
- David Don McFarlin, Michael Key Clark, Laurence Albert Grider, Charles Amos Stewart (inmates from Missouri State Penitentiary with potential ties to Eric Galt)  
- Richard Lee Ogg (suspected in bank robberies, associated with truck movements)  
- Frankie Barbara (woman reportedly involved in Ray’s criminal network)  
- Bob Powell (inmate linked to Ray’s activities)  

Key Locations  
- Missouri State Prison (Jefferson City, Missouri)  
- New Orleans, Louisiana  
- Los Angeles, California  
- St. Francis Hotel, Hollywood, California  
- Downey, California (swinger club associated with Galt)  
- Conoga Park, California  
- Turlock, California  
- Florence, Arizona  
- Joplin, Missouri  
- Memphis, Tennessee  
- Washington, D.C. (truck storage, Colonial Parking operations)  

Key Events  
- June 8, 1964 stabbing incident at Missouri State Prison  
- 1968 stabbing at Missouri State Prison  
- FBI investigation into James Earl Ray’s activities (linked to MLK assassination)  
- Stein’s re-interview regarding Galt’s phone calls and travel to New Orleans  
- Investigation into Saul John, a man resembling Ray with a California license plate  
- Review of prison records for John R. Keller at Florence, Arizona  
- Interviews with residents in Joplin, Missouri, to identify Ray or his associates  
- Examination of a dark blue Mustang linked to Ray’s alleged vehicle  
- FBI inquiries into mail forwarding services tied to Galt’s address  
- Galt’s correspondence with a swinger club and newspaper advertisement for discreet meetings  
- Truck movements involving a black-and-white Chevrolet pickup, its storage, and suspected use in crimes  

Key Organizations  
- Missouri State Highway Patrol  
- Department of Corrections (Missouri)  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  
- U.S. Postal Inspectors  
- Missouri State Penitentiary  
- Colonial Parking (storage facility for vehicles associated with Galt/Ray)  
- Turlock Police Department  
- U.S. Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)

MLK Declassified Files

44-kc-760_404058_170-01-part_7_of_8.pdf

Document Summary

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