</s>ME 44-1987 TOR: LF ORVILLE ERNEST CANN was located at Dismas House, St. Louis, Missouri, at which time was advised he last, Missouri State Penitentiary number was 6927. He first entered for penitentiary in August 1926 on a four-year sentence for burglary-re-entored the penitentian on April sentence to the penituary, re-entered the penentiary for the third time in April 1955 for a 20-year year, for the Third time He was released on April 9, 1968. GANN knew JAMES EARL RAY casually while both were inmates at the penintenary. During the period of this casual acquaintance, they had some slight association in the yard and personality, they have some slight assistance in the area on the food detail and sometimes served special dish to GANN on the GANN reciprocating by giving RAY special consideration in connection with his laundry service, since GANN was assigned to the laundry. He considered RAY to be a noat individual and clean. Close associates of RAY at the pentitentiary were identified to be CARL DRAKE, a timer, and TED RICHARDSON. At the time of RAV's escape, GANN wan not confined at Jefferson City but was on the honor farm at Springfield, Missouri. He has no knowledge of where RAY would be now or whom he would seek out once he had escaped. 71 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail inmate accounts of James Earl Ray’s interactions during his incarceration at Missouri State Penitentiary and Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary, as well as FBI investigations into his activities post-escape. Inmate Orville Ernest Cann described Ray as a clean individual who occasionally received special treatment for laundry services but had no knowledge of escape plans or post-escape activities. John Kenneth Hurth confirmed Ray’s frequent escape planning and noted he discussed a bounty on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life, though denied involvement in plotting against King. Donald Johnson detailed the bread box method of smuggling during Ray’s 1967 escape but denied aiding it. Kenneth Lee Wade described Ray as anti-Negro and capable of killing King, while Milton Zavalcovsky noted Ray’s escape attempts but had no information on his whereabouts post-escape. Charles Calvin Bookman claimed to have received a phone call from Ray in April 1968, where Ray allegedly asked for money and referred to himself as “hotter than a cow marshal's pistol.” Associates like Dyrell Dennis and Rita Stein were questioned about Ray’s movements in Los Angeles and New Orleans, with some noting his connections to George Wallace’s political campaign. FBI reports from Oklahoma City and Memphis focus on Ray’s alleged involvement in the assassination of Dr. King, including Joseph Seibert’s claims that Ray lacked the intelligence to plan the murder but may have had external help. The FBI sought to track Ray’s activities during his period of freedom (April 23, 1967–June 8, 1968), noting he was considered armed and dangerous by June 1968.  

Key People  
- James Earl Ray (suspect in MLK assassination)  
- Orville Ernest Cann (inmate at Missouri State Penitentiary)  
- John Kenneth Hurth (inmate at Missouri State Penitentiary)  
- Donald Johnson (inmate at Missouri State Penitentiary)  
- Kenneth Lee Wade (inmate at Missouri State Penitentiary)  
- Milton Zavalcovsky (inmate at Missouri State Penitentiary)  
- Charles Calvin Bookman (inmate at Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary)  
- Joseph Seibert (inmate at Missouri State Penitentiary, provided testimony on Ray’s activities)  
- Dyrell Dennis (hotel associate in Milwaukee and Los Angeles)  
- Rita Stein (individual associated with Ray’s activities in New Orleans)  
- George Wallace (referenced in inmate accounts as a political connection)  

Key Locations  
- Missouri State Penitentiary (St. Louis, Missouri)  
- Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary (Kansas)  
- St. Francis Hotel (Los Angeles, California)  
- Sultan Room (Los Angeles, California)  
- New Orleans, Louisiana  
- Memphis, Tennessee  
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma  
- Jackson County Court House, Kansas City, Missouri  

Key Events  
- Ray’s escape from Missouri State Penitentiary in April 1967  
- Inmate accounts of smuggling via bread boxes and drug trafficking within prisons  
- Ray’s alleged anti-Negro sentiments and potential motive to kill MLK  
- Bookman’s claimed phone call from Ray in April 1968  
- FBI investigations into Ray’s movements, financial activities, and associations during his period of freedom (April–June 1967)  
- Seibert’s testimony about Ray’s escape plans and alleged involvement in the assassination  
- FBI memos confirming Ray was considered armed and dangerous by June 1968  

Key Organizations  
- Missouri State Penitentiary (prison system)  
- Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary (prison system)  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  
- Oklahoma City FBI Office  
- Local law enforcement agencies (e.g., Memphis Police Department, Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office)  
- George Wallace’s political campaign (referenced in inmate accounts)  

Note: The document contains potential SSNs (e.g., 44-686-245-2025), which have been redacted. References to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination are limited to Ray’s alleged involvement and inmate accounts of his anti-Negro sentiments, with no direct elaboration on the event itself in the provided summaries.

MLK Declassified Files

44-oc-686_sec_002_ser_100-275-part_8_of_9.pdf

Document Summary

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