</s>FD-245 (REV. 4:13-60) PENDING LITIGATION H. S. Department of Justice PENDIDING LIFEGATION DO NOT DESTROY (MATERIAL MUST NOT BE REMOVED FROM OR ADDED T. THIS FILED FIELD OFFICE FILE FEDERAL BUREAU FOIPA PROCESSED FEDERAL BUREAU ENTIRE FILE REVIEWED FOR HISTORICAL of ALL INFORMATION CONTAINS DECLASSIFICATION BETTER IS UNCLASSEEDED 10/3/19 3/1/2/4/2C/4C/5/4c/6/9 INVESTIGATION Volume Number Bureau File Number 44-38861 Santin, 941-981-88 SEE NEXTROSECTION HISTO. NATIONAL ARCHIVES' See also Nos. SEE VOL 1 FOR UTIGATION SEE NEXT DO NOT DESTROY 2 HISTONICAL VALUE SECTION NATIONALARCHIVES Hasto 4-4.68 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

The documents consist of FBI telegraph messages from January 1976 detailing an investigation into potential involvement in the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) on April 4, 1968. The inquiry focused on individuals linked to alleged conspiracy theories surrounding MLK’s death, including **Leon and Claude Powell**, **Ray Godfrey**, and others. The FBI sought to verify claims that these individuals were approached by a man (later identified as Ray Godfrey) offering money to assassinate MLK. The investigation involved interviews with family members, polygraph examinations, phone records, and cross-agency collaboration between Atlanta, Memphis, El Paso, and the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department. No conclusive evidence was found linking the suspects to the assassination, though the case remained open due to ongoing inquiries and procedural delays.  

Key People:  
- **Leon Powell** (allegedly approached for assassination plot)  
- **Claude Powell** (brother of Leon; under polygraph review)  
- **Ray Godfrey** (country singer suspected as intermediary)  
- **Floyce Powell Bryson** (sister of Leon Powell, denied involvement)  
- **Pete Davis** (bar owner in Atlanta; wife confirmed his death in 1975)  

Key Locations:  
- Atlanta, Georgia (primary investigation site)  
- Memphis, Tennessee (linked to MLK’s assassination)  
- El Paso, Texas (agency coordination)  
- Scottish Inn Motel, Texas (Claude Powell’s alleged stay)  

Key Events:  
- FBI interviews with family members and associates of Leon and Claude Powell  
- Request for polygraph examinations of Claude Powell and Ray Godfrey  
- Investigation into Ray Godfrey’s phone records and employment history  
- Coordination between multiple FBI offices and the Civil Rights Division  
- No definitive evidence linking suspects to MLK’s assassination  

Key Organizations:  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)** (primary investigative agency)  
- **Civil Rights Division, Justice Department** (collaborative involvement)  
- **Lowery Music Company** (employer of Ray Godfrey)  

The documents reflect the FBI’s efforts to trace potential conspirators in MLK’s assassination during the 1970s, highlighting Cold War-era surveillance practices and the complexities of proving conspiracy without direct evidence.

MLK Declassified Files

44-me-1987_hs1-852611265_88-02-part_1_of_4.pdf

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