</s>0-245 (REV. 4:12:00) PENDING LITIGATION DO NOT DESTROY 2778-385-2 1. S. Department of Justice DENTIAL MUST NOT BE REMOVED FROM OR ADDED TO THIS FILE! HELD OFFICE FILE FOLIPA PROCESSED FEDERAL BUREAU ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED ENTIRE FILE REVIEWED HEREINS UNCLABERIED DATEID/04/01/19 SP.I.Cucity of FOR HISTORICAL DECLASSIFICATION INVESTIGATION 44-3186/ Volume Number: Serial Number: Bureau File Number: "DO NOT DESTROY: "VALUE, NATIONAL ARCHIVES" See also Nos. SEE VOL 1 FOR LITUGATIONS DO NOTDESTROY THIST RIVAL VALUE NATIONALARCHIVES Seo nell Section 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14178

The provided text is a collection of fragmented legal documents, news articles, and personal accounts related to **James Earl Ray**, who was convicted in 1968 for assassinating civil rights leader **Martin Luther King Jr.** Key points include:  

1. **Guilty Plea and Legal Battles**:  
   - James Earl Ray confessed to killing MLK and pleaded guilty in 1968, but he later sought to void his plea, arguing it was coerced or based on false information. He filed petitions for a new trial, claiming his constitutional rights were violated during the original proceedings.  

2. **Legal Appeals**:  
   - Ray’s attorneys argued that his confession was unreliable and that evidence of his involvement was circumstantial. They cited Supreme Court rulings on prisoners’ rights to challenge convictions, referencing cases like *Percy Freeman v. State* (a fictionalized reference in the text).  

3. **Personal Accounts and Claims**:  
   - The text includes speculative claims about Ray’s motivations, such as being a "fugitive" or acting under pressure from others (e.g., members of the "Klan" or "King's associates"). These are likely fictionalized or exaggerated narratives.  

4. **Supporters and Controversies**:  
   - Figures like **J.B. Stoner** (a fictionalized character) and **Percy Foreman** (possibly a real lawyer involved in similar cases) are mentioned as individuals who allegedly supported Ray’s claims or were connected to his legal battles. The text also references financial disputes, such as Foreman’s alleged involvement in "murder games" for profit.  

5. **Fragmented Nature**:  
   - The text appears to be a mix of real historical events and fictionalized elements, possibly from a book, article, or speculative analysis. It includes errors, unclear phrasing, and references to non-existent legal cases (e.g., *Percy Freeman v. State*).  

**Key People**:  
- **James Earl Ray**: Convicted of assassinating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  
- **W. Preston B. Battle**: Judge whose death from a heart attack was noted in the text.  
- **Raymond S. Jones Jr.**, **Charles Edmundson**, **Gordon Hanna**, **Harry S. Avery**: Mentioned in legal or administrative contexts.  
- **Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.**: Central figure of the assassination case.  

**Key Locations**:  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Site of MLK’s assassination and Ray’s trial.  
- **Nashville, Tennessee**: Referenced in public tributes to MLK.  
- **Franklin County, Tennessee**: Mentioned in legal proceedings.  
- **St. George-St. Luke's Hospital**, **Union Street (Funeral Home)**: Locations tied to events or individuals.  

**Key Events**:  
- Legal proceedings against James Earl Ray for the assassination of Dr. King.  
- Appeals and potential new trials, including claims about coerced confessions.  
- Judge W. Preston B. Battle’s death from a heart attack and its legal implications.  
- Public tributes to Dr. King in Nashville, such as a march.  

**Key Organizations**:  
- **Memphis Fire and Police Department**: Mentioned in administrative or investigative contexts.  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Involved in tracking Ray’s movements and evidence collection.  
- **Tennessee Supreme Court**: Referenced in legal proceedings.  
- **Commercial Appeal newspaper**, **City Council of Memphis/Nashville**: Noted in public events or media coverage.  

**Notes on Document Condition**:  
The text contains fragmented or corrupted sections (e.g., repeated phrases like “2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176”), likely due to OCR errors or damaged original records. Some references to dates, locations, and individuals are unclear, requiring contextual interpretation. The materials reflect a mix of official reports, legal filings, and speculative discussions about the assassination case.

MLK Declassified Files

44-me-1987_hs1-852611265_73-04-part_1_of_2.pdf

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