</s>1/2/08 AIRTEL TO: DIRECTOR, 7/1 (44-3888) TROM: BAC, CHICAGO (44 -1114) Be Chicago teletype to Director dated 7/18/08, air mail copies to Sample to St. Louis to let milled from R.6. shind to mister, St. Lewis, St .. St. Missouri. Included in this letter, the part of the letter that was de- loted by the chichicag billy was publishing. (grooted) a copy of this letter was furnished by MOW BAKLEY (groote) a "bally home" to be given to the BAF chind that p of the baren in the advance that you will be eliminated that did not understand this part of thi letter. doure with the imn haberiting of the object. (4/4/19) - 4/4-19) (4) 44/4, 1972-5/8-11/46 SARAH-79 SEALVATED 2. FRIED 3. FISH-1/4. HEMPHRIES. M 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI records and internal communications related to James Earl Ray, a suspect in the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Key entries include Ray’s criminal history from 1946–1968, including arrests for burglary, forgery, and robbery in California, Illinois, Missouri, and Kansas City. On July 19, 1968, he was charged with first-degree murder in connection to King’s assassination. The FBI files note his flight from custody, attempts to identify him via fingerprint records, and internal memos referencing his status as a suspect. Documents also mention administrative directives (e.g., E.O. 14176) and internal FBI procedures for handling sensitive information.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Suspect in MLK’s assassination; listed with multiple arrests and charges from 1946–1968.  
- **John Edgar Hoover**: FBI Director, referenced in administrative notes.  
- **Arthur Hanes**: Counsel for the subject (Ray), mentioned in a conversation with an unnamed official.  
- **Cpl. J.S.B. Dunlop** and **Staff Sergeant J.P. Polay**: Identified as personnel involved in identification and investigative processes.  

Key Locations  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Central to the MLK assassination investigation; referenced in FBI memos.  
- **California**, **Illinois**, **Missouri**, **Kansas City**: Sites of Ray’s prior arrests and criminal activity.  
- **Toronto, Ontario**: Mentioned in a laundry mark identification inquiry.  

Key Events  
- **July 19, 1968**: James Earl Ray charged with first-degree murder in connection to MLK’s assassination.  
- **July 25, 1968**: FBI memorandum to SAC, Memphis, referencing documents on Ray’s custody and an executive order (E.O. 14176).  
- **June 18, 1968**: Identification efforts involving laundry marks linked to Ray, with comparisons to Community Cleavers (possibly a misreference or typo).  
- **Ongoing FBI investigations**: Focus on fingerprint records, flight patterns, and connections to civil rights cases.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Central agency managing records, investigations, and internal directives.  
- **United States Department of Justice**: Administrative authority overseeing the documents and legal proceedings.  
- **Community Cleavers** (possibly a misreference): Mentioned in laundry mark identification context; unclear exact role.

MLK Declassified Files

44-me-1987_hs1-852611265_86-02-part_1_of_3.pdf

Document Summary

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