</s>UNITEL TATES DEPARTMENT OF JUST. 2 FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION In Reply, Please Refer to Memphis, Tennessee Fila No. November 21, 1968 RE: JAMES EARL RAY, aka. Dr. MARTIN LUTHER KING - VICTIM CIVIL RIGHTS - CONSPIRACY Mr. J. Harold Flannery of the U.S. Department of Justice, has prepared a memorandum reflecting the U's. Department on June 12, 1968, and August 22, 1968. With a reflection of Gwenville, Mississippi, sippi, a contract writer for "Time Magazine" in this memorandum, Sartor alleges that John McFerrin a Negro civil rights activist in the state of Mississippi, the state's most notorious crime conversation at the John Street Produce Market in which the speaker allegedly made reference to where an individual should be shot at his money. go to collect his money." John McFerran was interviewed on two occasions by Special Agents of the Memphis FBI Division, and the results of these interviews are set out out of follows: 100 guell Stid N. Claraly, J.e. v. vuipied, Jana. 44-1997-Jul-E-1098LE 4 BUREAU MEMPHIS (44-1987) (5) 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary:  
The document details fragmented FBI investigations into potential conspiracies surrounding Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination, focusing on James Earl Ray, William Sartor, and interactions with Memphis law enforcement. Sartor alleged observing a heavyset white man wearing a red sport shirt jump from the Lorraine Motel window during the shooting and claimed a "heavy set man" instructed someone to "get the job done" on the balcony, referencing possible police or organized group involvement. Memphis Police and FBI records note Sartor's interviews with informants like Ruby Marie Giesendroff, who claimed he discussed suicide plans. The Black Organizing Project (BOP) in Memphis is described as politically active but with no conclusive ties to the assassination. Investigations into potential Mafia or police conspiracies lack definitive evidence. Unrelated mentions include a car accident in Missouri involving John W. Crawford and a "Beacon Tanycame Bull Hands Lake 3 Progress" report from February 15, 1968, which appears disconnected from the MLK case.  

Key People:  
- James Earl Ray (suspected assassin)  
- William Sartor (informant with conflicting claims about events at Lorraine Motel)  
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (victim)  
- Ruby Marie Giesendroff (informant who alleged Sartor discussed suicide plans)  
- MC Ferren (described interactions with a suspect matching physical traits of an individual linked to the assassination)  
- Paul C. Bolin (alleged to have knowledge of assassination plans)  
- Mary Patricia Bolins (admitted fabricating statements about her husband’s involvement)  
- Michael Caan (alleged material witness, described as a mental patient)  
- William Payton Caan (claimed to be in London, contacted police departments)  
- Reverend James Morris Lawson, Samuel K. Kyles, Ralph Jackson (civil rights leaders mentioned in BOP context)  
- Henry Lorb (Memphis Mayor)  

Key Locations:  
- Lorraine Motel (site of assassination and Sartor’s alleged observations)  
- Memphis, Tennessee (central to investigations and BOP activities)  
- Fire Station #2 (monitored by Sartor)  
- Farmers Market Company (location of alleged encounter with heavyset man)  
- Somerville, Tennessee (grocery store interactions mentioned in MC Ferren testimony)  
- Norfolk, Virginia (FBI office where Mary Patricia Bolins was interviewed)  
- London, England (claimed location of William Payton Caan’s residence)  
- Oakland and Berkeley, California (police departments involved in Michael Caan’s case)  

Key Events:  
- Assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., April 4, 1968  
- FBI investigations into potential conspiracies involving Memphis Police Department or organized groups  
- Sartor’s claims about a "heavy set man" instructing an assassination at the Lorraine Motel  
- BOP activities in Memphis, including political alliances and alleged violence  
- Testimonies from MC Ferren describing a suspect with physical traits matching an individual linked to the assassination  
- Phone calls from London involving threats against Michael Caan and his alleged connection to the murder  
- FBI inquiries into individuals like Paul C. Bolin and Mary Patricia Bolins, including fabricated statements by the latter  
- Mention of a car accident in Missouri involving John W. Crawford (unrelated to MLK)  

Key Organizations:  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – central to the investigation and documentation of testimonies  
- Memphis Police Department – involved in interviews and investigations  
- Black Organizing Project (BOP) – described as politically active in Memphis  
- National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) – mentioned in BOP context  
- San Francisco Police Department – involved in handling calls about Michael Caan’s case  
- Oakland Police Department – part of the inquiry into Michael Caan’s case

MLK Declassified Files

44-me-1987_hs1-852611265_78-04-part_1_of_3.pdf

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