</s>FD-204 (Rev. 3-3-59) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION Copy to: Report of: SA JOE C. HESTER April 11, 1969 Office: MEMPHIS Date: Field Office File #1 Memphis 44-1967 Bureau File #: 44-38861 Title: JAMES EARL RAY! Dr. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. - VICTIM Titles: Character: CIVIL RIGHTS - CONSPIRACY On 3/10/69, subject appeared before Judge V. PRESTON Synopsis: BATTLE Division III, Criminal Court, Shelby County BATTLE, Division III. Criminal court, Shelby county in the first degree for which he was sentenced to murder years imprisonment. On 3/13 and 3/14/69; efforts made by FBI Agents to interview RAY at Tennessee State by FBI agents to interview Ray at Tennessee state On 4/7/69 , subject filed in Criminal Court of Shelby County, Tenn, a motion for a new trial. DETAILS: On March 10, 1969, the subject and his attorney, PERCY FORMAN, appeared before judge V. PRESTON BATTLE, Division III, appeared Before Judge V, Shelby County, Memphis, Tennessee, and entered a plan of guilty to murder in the first degree for having murdered Dr. MATTIN LUTHER KING, Jr. RAY was sentented to ninety aine years imprisonment, this RAY was sentenced to ninety years years imprisonment by the District Attorney General, and by Judge BATTLE. On March 13, 1969 ,, and again on March 14, 1969. the subject RAY, then incarcerated at the Tennessee State Penitentiary, Nashville, Tennessee, declined to be inter- viewed, by Special Agents of the FBI. This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusions of the Fbi. It is the property of theFBI. It Is the property (the FBI and is located to your agency) it and its contents are not to be distributed outside your agency. your agency; it and it's contents are to be not to distributed outside the FBI." U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1967-0-27-379-7979 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary:  
On March 10, 1969, James Earl Ray, represented by attorney Percy Forman, appeared before Judge V. Preston Battle in Shelby County Criminal Court, Tennessee, and entered a plea of guilty to murder in the first degree for the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He was sentenced to ninety-nine years imprisonment by the District Attorney General and Judge Battle. On March 13–14, 1969, Ray, incarcerated at Tennessee State Penitentiary, declined FBI interviews. On April 7, 1969, Ray’s attorneys (Richard J. Ryan, J. B. Stoner, Robert W. Hill Jr.) filed a motion for a new trial in Shelby County Criminal Court, alleging his conviction resulted from being deprived of legal counsel and conflicts of interest with prior attorneys Arthur Hanes and Forman. The document notes no FBI recommendations or conclusions and states it is FBI property, not to be distributed outside the agency.  

Key People:  
- James Earl Ray (defendant, convicted of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination)  
- Percy Forman (attorney representing Ray at trial)  
- Arthur Hanes (prior attorney of Ray)  
- Richard J. Ryan, J. B. Stoner, Robert W. Hill Jr. (attorneys filing motion for new trial)  
- Judge V. Preston Battle (presiding judge in Shelby County Criminal Court)  

Key Locations:  
- Memphis, Tennessee (court proceedings and FBI field office)  
- Shelby County Criminal Court, Tennessee  
- Tennessee State Penitentiary, Nashville, Tennessee  

Key Events:  
- March 10, 1969: James Earl Ray pleads guilty to murder of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., sentenced to ninety-nine years imprisonment.  
- March 13–14, 1969: FBI attempts to interview Ray at Tennessee State Penitentiary; he declines.  
- April 7, 1969: Motion for new trial filed by Ray’s attorneys, citing lack of legal counsel and conflicts of interest with prior attorneys.  

Key Organizations:  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  
- Shelby County Criminal Court, Tennessee  
- Tennessee State Penitentiary

MLK Declassified Files

44-me-1987_hs1-852611265_65-04-part_3_of_3.pdf

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