</s>FD-245 (Rev. 2-27-36) U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE CLASSIFICATION NO. FEDERAL BUREAU Hil-1987-bill.C L.C. Chippewa City, Calif. L.L.F.C OF INVESTIGATION 44-38861 Bureau File Number DO NOT DESTRO HISTORICAL VALUE 10/24/01 SP-1 CUKTg NATIONAL ARCHIVES Series: FIELD OFFICE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIVE Volume Number AND ADMINISTRATIVE FILES 6 Oenling Litgatten - See also Nos. Kigis Claud Lectin 2025 RELEASE UNDER O 14176

Summary:  
The documents detail ongoing legal and investigative proceedings related to James Earl Ray's conviction for the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Key issues include disputes over ballistics test results from a rifle allegedly used in the murder, with defense attorney William Pepper seeking retesting and court hearings to challenge previous findings. The judge ruled on releasing test results, with delays cited due to procedural concerns and conflicting evidence. Ray, serving a 99-year sentence, requested medical treatment, including a liver transplant, which faced legal hurdles as authorities debated his eligibility for such care. References to other cases, such as a 1968 murder in Memphis, are mentioned but linked to Ray's broader legal context. The Commercial Appeal newspaper is cited as a source of updates on these developments.  

Key People:  
- James Earl Ray (convicted assassin of MLK Jr.)  
- William Pepper (Ray’s defense attorney)  
- Judge Joe Brown (criminal court judge overseeing test results)  
- Wayne Chastain (attorney for Ray)  
- Marc Perrusquia (reporter for The Commercial Appeal)  

Key Locations:  
- Memphis, Tennessee (murder scene and legal proceedings)  
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (medical evaluation requests)  
- Lorraine Motel (site of MLK’s assassination)  

Key Events:  
- Legal battles over release of ballistics test results from the rifle used in MLK’s murder.  
- Ray’s appeals for medical treatment, including a liver transplant, and state refusal to grant permission.  
- Court hearings and judicial rulings on procedural delays in testing and evidence review.  
- Defense claims that the rifle was planted or not linked to the assassination.  

Key Organizations:  
- Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI)  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  
- Memphis Police Department  
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (medical evaluation context)  
- The Commercial Appeal (newspaper covering legal and investigative updates)

MLK Declassified Files

44-me-1987_hs1-852611265_74-01-part_1_of_6.pdf

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