</s>FD-023 (Rev. 11-294-61) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION Philadelphia, Pennsylvania In Reply, Please Refer to File No. January 23, 1969 Title JAMES EARL RAY: MARTIN LUTHER KING - VICTIM Character Reference Memorandum dated and captioned as above at Philadelphia, Pa. All sources (except any listed below) whose identities are concealed in referenced communication have furnished reliable information in the past. X This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusions of the FBI. It is the property of the FBI and is licensed to your agency. il and its contents are not to be distributed outside your agency. 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigations into claims surrounding the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., including inquiries into Robert Gaines' alleged involvement, his mental health status, and potential conspiracy theories. A 1969 memorandum notes Gaines’ alleged connection to MLK’s death, his hospitalization for schizophrenia linked to alcoholism, and his employment history. The FBI interviewed Rev. Ralph Abernathy regarding a Washington Post article suggesting a conspiracy. A letter from Canada claims James Earl Ray was not the sole perpetrator, implicating "Mrs. King" (Coretta Scott King) and her husband, though this is dismissed as speculative. The FBI also tracked potential disruptions to a postponed MLK assassination trial scheduled for April 7, 1969, and monitored plans for MLK’s memorial observance on April 4, 1969. Miscellaneous content includes unrelated fire incidents in London and drug-related activities in Mexico.  

Key People  
- Robert Gaines (alleged connection to MLK’s death, mental health issues)  
- Rev. Ralph David Abernathy (Southern Christian Leadership Conference leader, interviewed by FBI)  
- John Douglas Burgess (Canadian citizen claiming MLK’s wife and adopted son were involved in the assassination)  
- Phil M. Canale (Shelby County District Attorney, handled MLK-related prosecutions)  
- James Earl Ray (accused of assassinating MLK; mentioned in multiple contexts)  
- Frank Mulcahy (Irish citizen who claimed a reward for information about Ray; previously an FBI informant in 1937)  
- Chilquin Smith (mentioned in context of meetings and potential connections to MLK-related activities)  
- Raul Esquivel (Louisiana State Police trooper referenced in New Orleans investigations)  
- Dr. Frederic A. Schwartz (Birmingham, Alabama; linked to patient records related to James Karl Bay)  

Key Locations  
- Memphis, Tennessee (central to Gaines’ activities and trial proceedings; FBI tracking of Ray’s movements)  
- Nashville, Tennessee (Gaines’ hospitalization records)  
- Union, Ontario, Canada (origin of the letter implicating "Mrs. King")  
- London, England (fire incident unrelated to MLK case)  
- New Orleans, Louisiana (investigations into Raul Esquivel; Ray’s alleged stay in 1967)  
- Montreal, Canada (inquiries about Ray’s activities; references to newspaper articles)  
- Birmingham, Alabama (Dr. Schwartz’s residence and office; hotel registrations checked for individuals linked to April 3, 1966)  

Key Events  
- Investigation into Robert Gaines’ alleged involvement in MLK’s assassination (1969)  
- FBI interview with Rev. Ralph Abernathy regarding conspiracy theories (January 30, 1969)  
- Postponement of MLK assassination trial to April 7, 1969  
- Claims that James Earl Ray was not the sole perpetrator, citing alternative suspects (letter from Canada)  
- Monitoring of potential disruptions to MLK’s memorial observance on April 4, 1969  
- FBI efforts to track James Earl Ray’s movements in Memphis, New Orleans, and Montreal  
- Investigation into Dr. Frederic A. Schwartz’s patient records related to James Karl Bay  
- Verification of hotel registrations in Memphis for individuals linked to events on April 3, 1966  
- Request for FBI Los Angeles office to provide results of an interview with Charles Stin  

Key Organizations  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  
- Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)  
- Shelby County Criminal Court (Memphis, Tennessee)  
- Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)  
- Louisiana State Police  
- U.S. Justice Department  
- National Council of Churches (NCC)  
- Inter-Religious Foundation for Community Organization (IICO)  
- Memphis Police Department

MLK Declassified Files

44-me-1987_hs1-852611265_86-06-part_2_of_3.pdf

Document Summary

Try AI Search