</s>PD-3468 (ORV. 4-15-092 H. S. Department of Justice Volume 1 MATERIAL MUST NOT PEMOVED FROM OR ADDED TO THIS FILED ENTIRE FIRE REVIEWED DO NOT DESTROY: FOR HISTORICAL HISTORIGAL VALUE. DECLASSIFICATION NATIONAL ARCHIVES FEDERAL BUREAU 10024543 Ser. 1959-1-4-1574 1002454543 INVESTIGATION Bureaua File Number 44-3886 Sedlin. 44-1594 DO NOT DESTROY PRESERVE FOR SELECT COMMITTEE ON ASSASSINATIONS See also No. DO NOT DISTROY. FATT PENDING LINGATION uc 12-14-7-7 104/15 S/Marshall18-1477 HELPEN 12-23-5-6-7 ALL INTERNATION CORPORATION C HEREIN FIE NUMBER 4/4-3586 Rue 42-10-69) 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

The document provides a detailed account of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)’s surveillance and investigative activities related to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. prior to his assassination on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. It outlines the FBI’s prolonged monitoring of King through COINTELPRO tactics, including infiltration of civil rights organizations, technical surveillance, and efforts to disrupt his activism. The Department of Justice (DOJ) task force reviewed over 200,000 records from federal, state, and local agencies, including files like the "Marlin File," counterintelligence reports, and intercepted communications. Key findings include no direct evidence linking FBI actions to King’s assassination, though the bureau’s surveillance was deemed illegal and unethical. The task force also highlighted gaps in the investigation, such as incomplete field office files and limited analysis of surveillance tapes. The House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA) cited the removal of Memphis Police Department (MPD) officer Edward E. Redditt from duty due to threats against his life as a significant factor in their inquiry.  

Key People  
- **Martin Luther King Jr.**: Central figure, assassinated on April 4, 1968, while staying at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis.  
- **Edward E. Redditt**: Memphis Police Department (MPD) officer assigned to surveil King; removed from duty due to threats against his life.  
- **Philip R. Manuel**: Senate Investigating Committee investigator who provided information about threats to a "Negro Lieutenant" in Memphis, later corrected to Knoxville.  
- **W.B. Richmond**: Patrolman who witnessed and reported Dr. King’s assassination at approximately 6:00 p.m. on April 4, 1968.  
- **Norvell E. Wallace** and **Floyd E. Newsm**: Black firefighters from Fire Station No. 2 involved in the sanitation workers’ strike.  

Key Locations  
- **Lorraine Motel, Memphis**: Site of Dr. King’s assassination.  
- **Fire Station No. 2 (South Main and Butler streets)**: Observation post used by Redditt and Richmond to surveil the Lorraine Motel.  
- **Centenary Methodist Church**: Location of a meeting attended by King and his associates.  
- **Mason Temple, Memphis**: Venue for a mass meeting where King was scheduled to speak.  

Key Events  
1. **April 4, 1968**: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination in Memphis while supporting a sanitation workers’ strike.  
2. **COINTELPRO Surveillance**: FBI’s illegal counterintelligence operations targeting civil rights leaders, including King, from 1963 to 1968.  
3. **MPD Infiltration of the Invaders**: A police officer infiltrated the radical group to monitor their activities.  
4. **Surveillance Detail for King**: MPD provided security for King from April 3–4, 1968, which was discontinued after 5:05 p.m. on the day of his assassination.  
5. **Threats Against Redditt**: Redditt received threats and was ordered to relocate under an assumed name due to fears of retaliation.  
6. **Senate Investigating Committee Involvement**: Philip R. Manuel relayed information about threats to a "Negro Lieutenant" in Memphis, though this was later corrected to Knoxville.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted counterintelligence operations and reviewed records related to King’s activities.  
- **Memphis Police Department (MPD)**: Provided surveillance and security for King, including infiltration of the Invaders.  
- **Black Organizing Power (BOP)**: A radical group that sought financial support from King to fund initiatives like a "Liberation School."  
- **Invaders**: A militant group infiltrated by MPD officers to monitor their activities.  
- **House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA)**: Investigated the assassination, citing Redditt’s removal as a key factor in their inquiry.

MLK Declassified Files

44-la-1574_742142_005-01-part_1_of_7.pdf

Document Summary

Try AI Search