</s>ASSASSINATION OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusions of the FBI. It is as the property of the FBI and is loaned to your agency it and its contents are not to be distributed outside your agency. -2 **- 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14178

Summary  
The text contains law enforcement records from the 1970s involving James Earl Ray (JER), a suspect in Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination, and other individuals linked to fugitive activities. JER was convicted in 1968 for MLK’s murder but later paroled in 1976 due to unrelated crimes. The text references his incarceration at Brushy Mountain State Prison in Tennessee and speculative claims of an escape attempt or "conspiracy to violate UFAC" (possibly unauthorized flight). It also includes fictional or unrelated details, such as a June 13, 1977 apprehension (likely fabricated) and names like Donald Ray Taylor and Douglas Shelton, who may be red herrings. The document mentions destruction orders for files (e.g., FD-419), aligning with U.S. law enforcement practices to discard old case records.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Convicted of MLK’s assassination in 1968; incarcerated at Brushy Mountain State Prison, paroled in 1976.  
- **Douglas Shelton**: Fugitive with tattoos including "Death Before Dishonor," "Alice," "Connie," and "Send This Convict to Heaven."  
- **Donald Ray Taylor**, **Larry Edward Hacker**, **David Lee Powell**: Listed as fugitives; descriptions sparse.  
- **Tillie Foster Sullers** and associates (e.g., Gary, Deck): Mentioned in connection to organized criminal networks.  

Key Locations  
- **Brushy Mountain State Prison**: Maximum-security prison in Tennessee where JER was incarcerated.  
- **Knoxville, Tennessee**: Site of a 1977 federal warrant for violating U.S. flight statutes (Title 15, U.S. Code).  

Key Events  
- **JER’s Conviction and Parole**: Convicted in 1968 for MLK’s assassination; parole granted in 1976 due to unrelated crimes.  
- **Escape Rumors**: Speculative claims of JER attempting escape or conspiring to violate prison rules (UFAC).  
- **Fugitive Operations**: Federal agents coordinated with local police to track suspects, using surveillance methods like helicopters and roadblocks.  
- **File Destruction**: References to destruction orders (e.g., FD-419) indicate records were discarded per law enforcement protocols.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Involved in tracking fugitives; referenced via codes like FBI-NORFOLI and SEARCHED INDEXED SERIALIZED.  
- **U.S. Department of Justice**: Likely responsible for legal actions, including the 1977 warrant for violating flight statutes.  
- **Brushy Mountain State Prison**: Tennessee facility managing JER’s incarceration.  

Note: The document contains speculative or fictional elements (e.g., June 13, 1977 apprehension) and may reflect conspiracy theories rather than verified historical facts. Some names and details appear unrelated to MLK’s assassination investigation.

MLK Declassified Files

44-nf-268_749669_02-03-part_4_of_5.pdf

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