</s>C. 1 Serials & X C. 5/3/ape BUREA F FBI - CENTRAL RECORDS CENTER ARTER GATION FRI - CENTRAL RECOROS CENTER OT-OTTAWA 1. Class/Case # Sub Vol. Sertal # DO NOT DO NOT 1 1 OPEN 1 DO NOT 1/13/39393. FRI-ROM OR ADD- DO NOT DESTROY FOIPA # FOIPa # Use Care in Handling this File Transfer - Call 3421 Use Care In Handling this file - - RRPWA3A3E - - - - - - - - - - - - - U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE - - - - -

Summary  
The documents detail cross-border legal and investigative efforts in the 1970s concerning James Earl Ray’s fugitive status and the 1968 assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Key elements include:  
- **James Earl Ray (JER)**, convicted for MLK’s murder, escaped from Brushy Mountain State Prison in Tennessee on June 10, 1977, during supervised exercise using a ladder. One inmate was shot and apprehended; others were captured later.  
- The U.S. House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA) requested access to RCMP records related to MLK’s case, but Canadian authorities retained physical evidence under domestic policy until the HSCA concluded its review.  
- FBI communications reference file numbers (e.g., 44-38861, 405942G) and coordination with U.S. legal attaches in Canada (e.g., Ottawa) to track JER’s movements and evidence handling.  
- Other escaped inmates from Tennessee State Prison are listed, though their connection to MLK’s case is unclear.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Convicted of MLK’s assassination; fugitive in 1977; described as white male, 5'10", 170 lbs., with black-graying hair.  
- **Larry Edward Hacker**: Escaped inmate; DOB September 24, 1944; sentenced to life for murder.  
- **Earl Hill Jr.**: Escaped inmate; DOB October 19, 1942; sentenced to life for murder.  
- **David Lee Powell**: Escaped inmate; DOB July 18, 1949; sentenced to life for murder.  
- **Douglas Shelton**: Escaped inmate; DOB December 6, 1944; sentenced to life for murder.  
- **Donald Ray Caylor**: Escaped inmate; DOB September 30, 1952; sentenced to life for murder.  

Key Locations  
- **Brushy Mountain State Prison**, Tennessee: Site of JER’s 1977 escape.  
- **Ottawa, Canada**: Location of U.S. legal attaches involved in tracking JER and evidence handling.  
- **Tennessee State Prison**: Implied as the facility from which other inmates escaped.  

Key Events  
- **June 10, 1977**: James Earl Ray escaped from Brushy Mountain State Prison using a ladder during supervised exercise; one inmate was shot and apprehended.  
- **HSCA (1976–1978)**: Requested access to RCMP records related to MLK’s assassination but faced resistance due to Canadian sovereignty concerns.  
- **Evidence Retention**: RCMP retained physical evidence from MLK’s case until the HSCA concluded its review.  
- **FBI-Legat Coordination**: FBI sought updates on JER’s status and evidence handling through U.S. legal attaches in Canada.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted investigations into MLK’s assassination and coordinated with Canadian authorities.  
- **Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)**: Retained physical evidence from MLK’s case due to domestic policy.  
- **U.S. House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA)**: Reviewed MLK’s assassination case, seeking access to RCMP records.

MLK Declassified Files

44-ot-4_sec_001_ser_1-part_1_of_3.pdf

Document Summary

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