</s>ME 44-1987 2 Jail, Cleveland, Ohio, for carrying a concealed weapon and had been an inmate at the Missouri State Penitentiary from October 1962 until December 1965. RAY was a bread man. Working in the bakery, slicing was bread for meals.RAY was as a racist and was many times for men. RAY was a racist was RAY was hooked on an amphetamine powders and always had a nose dropper and needle to shoot the solution made up price dropped on amphetamine powder into the solution mad up price was obtained through the source in the prison at a price between $50 and $100 per spoonful, and on occasion would break down the amount of powder in the would opportunity would sell the amount to powder he would amphétamine to turn down in smaller packages. When the and use it. He was a "one wolf" never discussed his own personal background, and was an avid reader of sex books and girlie magazines, and a few never trusted anyone and had a feeling of pulling at his left ear left constantly.RAY purchased a habit of pulling from his left left ear constantly. MAY purchased the amphetamines at a fellow convict, JIM BRADLEY, described as the "top con" at Missouri State Pentitentiary. RAY had talked to escaping on numerous occasions and on occasion was caught with a rope and hook. He also participated in the attempted murder. though the authorities were unaware of who had been involved in this attempt. JAMES HARVEY BRADLET, JR ., currently incarcerated in U.S. Penitentiaries, Leavenworth, Kansas, under number 8415, was serving a 15 year sentence for violation of U. S. Postal laws serving as a year since any knowledge of RAY personally or by name. JIMMY Z, BRADLEY has Missouri State Sentitentiary Number 78444 and is currently serving a life sentence. He was incarcerated in December 1956. He knew JAMES EARL. RAT as an employee in J Hall for a time and knew he lived alone in a cell in K Hall. He always desired to cell alone. 49 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary:  
The documents detail accounts from prison inmates, staff, and other individuals regarding James Earl Ray’s incarceration at Missouri State Penitentiary and Mississippi State Penitentiary during the 1960s. Ray is described as a drug user, escape risk, and loner with anti-Negro sentiments. Inmates reported his involvement in smuggling operations near the U.S.-Mexico border, including trips to Campeche and Torreon, Mexico, and connections to small fishing boats used for cross-border trade. Some inmates speculated about Ray’s criminal ties, including potential smuggling networks and associations with individuals like Mateo Lopez Garcia. While not confirming direct involvement in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, several accounts mention Ray discussing a "bounty" for MLK’s death and planning to flee to Mexico or Canada after alleged crimes. Ray’s escape attempts, including one allegedly executed via a bread box delivery in April 1967, are noted. Inmates also described his purchase of law books and preparation of legal briefs to challenge his incarceration. Later records reference Ray’s criminal history, including burglary, forgery, and robbery charges from 1946 to 1968, with multiple arrests across Illinois, Missouri, and Iowa. The documents include fragmented connections between Ray, Eric Galt, and Charles Stein, linking them to Los Angeles, New Orleans, and political affiliations with George Wallace’s campaign. Laundry transactions at Home Service Laundry & Dry Cleaning Company in Upland, California, are tied to Galt, with recovered clothing allegedly matching items from an assassination scene. FBI records reference Ray’s alias (JAMES EARL RAY; FBI #405 942 G) and his association with other individuals linked to the MLK assassination investigation through circumstantial evidence.  

Key People:  
- **James Earl Ray**: Central figure; incarcerated in Missouri and Mississippi state prisons, involved in narcotics trafficking, escape attempts, and described as a loner with anti-Negro sentiments.  
- **Carl Drake**: Inmate who claimed to be Ray’s close associate and shared information about his escape plans.  
- **Walter E. Nolan**: Prison staff member who noted Ray’s legal interests and distrust of informants.  
- **James Loama Owens**: Inmate who described Ray as a thief with ties to Mexico, mentioning trips to Acapulco and Nogales.  
- **Donald Dean Rigger**: Inmate who claimed Ray was interested in losing his identity through smuggling or criminal activities in Mexico.  
- **Charles Calvin Bookman**: Former Leavenworth inmate who received a phone call from Ray in April 1968, where Ray requested money while evading authorities.  
- **Kenneth Lee Wade**: Inmate who detailed Ray’s drug sales, escape plans, and alleged racial animosity toward Black individuals.  
- **Rita Stein**: Los Angeles hotel worker who met Eric Galt at the St. Francis Hotel and registered for George Wallace’s political party in Louisiana.  
- **Jerome Wallis Vernon**: Owner of Home Service Laundry & Dry Cleaning Company in Upland, California, who noted laundry items matching an assassination scene.  
- **Louis Lomax**: Journalist linked to Galt through Stein, with references to Ray’s criminal activities.  
- **Eric Galt (ERIC S. GALT)**: Associated with Rita Stein and linked to Ray through circumstantial connections.  
- **Charles Stein**: Confirmed Galt’s trip to New Orleans and described his belongings.  

Key Locations:  
- **Missouri State Penitentiary** (St. Louis): Primary prison where Ray was incarcerated; housed inmates like Carl Drake, Walter E. Nolan, and Donald Dean Rigger.  
- **Mississippi State Penitentiary**: Mentioned as a location where Ray was incarcerated alongside other inmates.  
- **Campeche, Mexico** and **Torreon, Mexico**: Towns linked to Ray’s smuggling activities and alleged plans to "cool off" after criminal acts.  
- **Brownsville, Texas**: Port of entry for smuggling operations involving Ray’s associate (possibly Mateo Lopez Garcia).  
- **Los Angeles, California**: Locations tied to Rita Stein’s encounters with individuals potentially linked to Ray.  
- **New Orleans, Louisiana**: Site of Galt’s trip and political party registration.  
- **Home Service Laundry & Dry Cleaning Company**, Upland, California: Business where laundry items allegedly matching an assassination scene were processed.  
- **International School of Bartending**, Los Angeles: Location associated with a photograph of Eric Galt.  
- **FBI Identification Division** (April 23, 1968): Agency referencing Ray’s criminal history and alias.  

Key Events:  
1. **Ray’s escape from Missouri State Penitentiary in April 1967**: Allegedly executed via a bread box delivery to a prison farm.  
2. **Speculation about a bounty on Dr. King’s life**: Mentioned by inmate John Hurt, who claimed Ray discussed such a bounty.  
3. **Phone call from Ray to Charles Calvin Bookman in April 1968**: Allegedly requesting money while evading authorities.  
4. **Drug sales network**: Inmates like Wade and Pruet described Ray’s involvement in selling amphetamines to other prisoners.  
5. **Galt’s trips to New Orleans**: Including retrieval of Stein’s children and possession of a blue suitcase and yellow-black Kodak camera box.  
6. **Laundry transactions at Vernon’s dry cleaning business**: Recovered clothing allegedly matching items from an assassination scene.  
7. **FBI records of James Earl Ray’s criminal history**: Including burglary, forgery, and robbery charges from 1946 to 1968.  

Key Organizations:  
- **Missouri State Penitentiary**: Central institution where Ray was incarcerated; housed inmates like Carl Drake, Walter E. Nolan, and Donald Dean Rigger.  
- **Smuggling Networks**: Implied connections to Mexican border towns (Campeche, Torreon) and smuggling operations involving small fishing boats and cross-border trade.  
- **Home Service Laundry & Dry Cleaning Company**: Business where laundry items allegedly matching an assassination scene were processed.  
- **International School of Bartending**: Location associated with a photograph of Eric Galt.  
- **FBI Identification Division** (April 23, 1968): Agency referencing Ray’s criminal history and alias.  
- **U.S. Postal Inspection Service**: Mentioned in context of legal cases tied to individuals linked to Ray and Galt.

MLK Declassified Files

44-me-1987_hs1-852611265_65-03-part_5_of_6.pdf

Document Summary

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