</s>FD-350 (Rev. 5-8-81) 6 cate page, name of newspaper, city and state.) (Mount Clipping in Space Below) Date: 13 June 97, 81 Edition: COMMERCIAL APPEAL MEMPHIS, TN Title: Ray lawyer 'appalled' at release of a affidavit* at release for a affidavit+ or Classification: 44-1947 Classification of MEMPHS Ray lawyer 'Appalled' at release off affidavit' Defends rifle retest, won't discuss May results Defends Rifle retest. won't discuss May results By Marc Perrussua round of tests on the found found with Ray's fingerprints on April 1, 1968, Pepper said he shouldn't be sur- The Commercial Appeal Ray's fingerings on September 17, 1968. Peper said he appeared that the Ray's fingers on September 1, 1969. Brown, but I had an appealed that the James Earl Ray's attorney said fingerings on the rifle sent to him. Brown, had I had scheduled a hearing Thursday's appealed details said him a 99-year-old sentence. Ray, May, frame brown, but it seemed to hear thumbnail of the rifle in the affidavit. sulls, but but Pepper said she expects the made public from a sealed affidavit him a rifle that led to the affidavit- out of town Thursday and unavailable used to kill Dr. Pepper Luther King Hathaway has led the defendant- out of a federal trial. used to Kill Dr. Martin Luther King landing of the ring during court- law. The testing aims to determine if Ray's lawyer said he asked that used to shoot Pepper. Pepper said he did not lawing the rifle. Ray's medical file he sent to the Unit- used to the 30-06 month before he does not landing the trial. Ray's trial. Ray's lawyers said he said he's asked that conclusion for a possible liver feeted by the 30.06-06-07 year of his wife does not- firearms examiner Tommy Heftin man now to try to determine the incident. firearms Examiner Tommy Heffin <loc_635><loc_650><loc_371><loc_650>The move comes for a Nashville <loc_915><loc_642><loc_915><loc_653><loc_651><loc_653>the results. The results. <loc_371><loc_671><loc_371><loc_670><loc_371><loc_670><loc_372><loc_670>The results of a number of hatches

Summary  
The documents detail legal proceedings, forensic investigations, and media coverage surrounding James Earl Ray’s trial and appeals for the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Central to the records are disputes over evidence admissibility, including FBI tests on a 30-06 Remington rifle found at the scene, with conflicting conclusions about its connection to the crime. William Pepper, Ray’s attorney, argued the rifle was planted and claimed military involvement in the plot, leading to conspiracy theories involving Green Berets and other military figures. Legal challenges included rulings by Judge Joe Brown on evidence handling and test results, as well as a libel lawsuit against Pepper for alleged false accusations about military conspiracies. The records also reference unrelated legal matters, such as sexual battery charges against Ray and administrative court filings, but focus primarily on the assassination investigation and its aftermath.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Defendant in MLK’s assassination case; his fingerprints were found on the rifle used in the crime.  
- **William Pepper**: Attorney for Ray; claimed conspiracy theories involving military personnel and published a book alleging Green Beret involvement.  
- **Judge Joe Brown**: Oversaw legal proceedings, ruled on evidence admissibility, and allowed further testing of the rifle.  
- **John Colton Jr.**: Shelby County Criminal Court Judge involved in managing Ray’s case and disputes over procedural compliance.  
- **Mike Roberts**: Law professor at the University of Memphis; appointed as a special master in legal matters related to Ray’s appeals.  
- **Marc Perrusquia**: Reporter for *The Commercial Appeal*; covered trial developments and conspiracy theories.  
- **Mark Lane**: Memphis attorney who joined clemency efforts for Ray.  

Key Locations  
- **Memphis, TN**: Site of the assassination and central location for legal proceedings.  
- **Shelby County Courthouse**: Venue for court cases involving Ray’s conviction and appeals.  
- **Birmingham, AL**: Mentioned in context of military personnel alleged to be involved in conspiracy theories.  
- **Costa Rica**: Reference to Pepper’s book published there, which included claims about military involvement.  

Key Events  
- **Rifle Testing**: Forensic examinations of the 30-06 Remington rifle by FBI and firearms experts, with conflicting conclusions on its connection to the assassination.  
- **Legal Hearings**: Disputes over evidence handling, admissibility, and judicial rulings by Judge Brown and John Colton Jr.  
- **Conspiracy Claims**: Pepper’s allegations of military involvement (e.g., Green Berets) in the plot against King, leading to libel lawsuits.  
- **Libel Lawsuit**: Ray’s attorney sued for false accusations about military conspiracies.  
- **Clemency Efforts**: Mark Lane’s involvement in clemency petitions for Ray.  

Key Organizations  
- **FBI**: Conducted forensic tests on the rifle and provided evidence in the trial.  
- **U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)**: Released documents under Executive Order 14176, including test results and legal proceedings.  
- **Shelby County Criminal Court**: Handled Ray’s conviction, appeals, and related legal motions.  
- **The Commercial Appeal**: Newspaper reporting on trial developments, conspiracy theories, and court cases.  
- **University of Memphis Law School**: Affiliation of Mike Roberts, who served as a special master in legal matters.

MLK Declassified Files

44-me-1987_hs1-852611265_74-01-part_2_of_6.pdf

Document Summary

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