</s>FD-302 (Rev. 2-15-64) FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION 5/29/68 Date: LELAND CLIFFORD PEARCE, Owner, Buckhead Ridge Subdivision, Okeechobee, Florida, was advised of the identity of the interviewer as a Special Agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation as a Specialist Agent as contained in an executed waiver of rights form, Upon signed the form PEARC furnished as the following information: He was in the cattle business in Cuba in 1956 and 1957 when he was executed in Cuba to Cuba in 1962 Florida was upon leaving Cuba to the state of Cuba in October, of which he is the sole owner. He is no longer in the Florida was leaving Cuba as he came to Cuba to be the nation, cattle business and devotees all the time to the developing buildings and cottages on the property in the new Orleans, Florida. He has no time in the eighth business, prior to going to Cuba, he was in. The does cattle businesses in Belle Glade, on his property. For Cattle business in Belle Glade. He had to promote a middle east fiber Cattle Business in Bellee Glade to Cuba. He also went to Cuba: In the 1950's to promote the middle East fiber called "Maine" He did not have to associate with WILLIAM PIERCE, who also He does not know what he did not associate with William PIERGE. He does NOT know what line of business william PIERCKE is in now nor does he now how he could be located. He does no more than he has ever been a member of the Ku Klux Klan is now he is sympathetic to their cause. He does now. He does not have no experience to be a member member of WILLIAM BRICKLEY, BEN THOMPSON, EDDIE WILBURN NOR MOR GARRISON, although he has read about Jim GARRISON in the paper. the paper, also has heard about Jim Garrison in nor deployed by William PIERCK, EDDIEW WILBERN NOR NOR Cuba, He has never been to Kansas City, Kansas or Kansas City, Missouri, State of Florida are new Orleans, New Orleans, Kansas City. Missouri, state of Florida Are New Orleans for a cattle auction in the early 1950's, New York City, Washington, D.C ., Thomasville, Georgia and Cuba, Cuba. does not own a plane nor does do he do any flying. 5/18/68 Okeechoboee,Florida 5/19/68 Okeecobeechobee. Florida. MM 44-1854-695 5/28/68 SA RONALD TODD/dmc SA RONDAL TODD /dmc Date dictated <loc_569><loc_861><loc_570><loc_848><loc_569><loc_848>Date dated Date dated

Summary  
The text comprises a collection of **FBI internal records** from the 1960s, primarily related to the investigation into the assassination of **Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK)** on April 4, 1968. These documents reference **James Earl Ray**, initially convicted of MLK’s murder, and **Donald Lee Mitchell**, an inmate who allegedly provided information about Ray’s involvement. The files include coded references to the case ("MURKIN"), details about surveillance operations, informants, and potential conspiracies. They reflect the FBI’s internal debates over Ray’s guilt, the role of other individuals (e.g., "friends in St. Louis" or Philadelphia), and challenges in proving a high-profile murder investigation. The documents also mention **COINTELPRO**, the FBI’s Counterintelligence Program, which targeted civil rights leaders during this period.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Convicted of MLK’s assassination; allegedly part of a conspiracy to kill him.  
- **Donald Lee Mitchell**: Florida inmate who claimed to have met Ray in Missouri (Mo. State Penitentiary) in 1966 and described a plot involving Ray.  
- **William Somerset**: Former informant linked to conspiracy theories about MLK’s assassination.  
- **Thomas Tarrant, Sidney Barnes, Burris Dunn**: Names referenced in FBI surveillance files tied to potential conspiracies.  
- **Margaret Capomacchia**: Mother of James Earl Ray; described as mentally unstable or unreliable by the FBI.  

Key Locations  
- **Jackson, Mississippi**  
- **Mobile, Alabama**  
- **Atlanta, Georgia**  
- **North Carolina**  
- **Missouri (Mo. State Penitentiary)**  
- **Florida**  

Key Events  
- **Assassination of MLK**: Occurred on April 4, 1968; Ray was later convicted but the case remains controversial.  
- **Surveillance and Informants**: FBI monitored civil rights figures and investigated potential conspiracies involving Ray and others.  
- **Escape Plan Details**: Mitchell described Ray’s alleged plan to escape prison by bribing guards and coordinating with accomplices ("VINCE" or "VINCA").  
- **Informant Testimony**: Mitchell’s statements were part of the FBI’s investigation but later recanted, citing coercion.  

Key Organizations  
- **FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation)**: Conducted surveillance on civil rights leaders and investigated MLK’s assassination.  
- **COINTELPRO (Counterintelligence Program)**: A 1960s FBI initiative targeting civil rights activists, including MLK.  
- **Secret Service**: Mentioned in context of potential involvement in the assassination investigation.  

The documents suggest a complex interplay between surveillance, informant testimony, and conspiracy theories, while highlighting the FBI’s role in monitoring civil rights leaders during this period. They align with historical records but may also reflect speculative claims or paraphrased summaries of declassified files.

MLK Declassified Files

44-mm-1854_v5-part_6_of_9.pdf

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