</s>029 HG 0110051 010005 TORONTO TO MPISC ATH 6D HENRY RE: ESCAPES FROM TENN. RE: ENCAPES DESC. IS AT FBI LAISON OFFICE - KNOVILLE TENN, BEING COMPANY RE RE A MR. KELLY, WE WILL BE GETTING A RELAY FROM US BORDER PIL IN BLAINE WASH FOR THE INFO. I STRONGLY STRESSED THAT THERE WAS ONLY 11 JUNE 7, 2017 A SLIGHT POSS. THAT RAY WOULD COME HERE. A SLIGNT POSS THAT RAV WOULD COKE HERE. 9 DIV CONCENTRE 11JUN/07/02:52:45 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .... ... ... .... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .... .. ... .... ... ... .. ... ... ... ... ... ... .... .... ... .. ...... .... .... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... ... .... .... ... <loc_926><loc_239><loc_930><loc_239><loc_930><loc_262>... ... ... 1 JUN/77/06/05/05:40 051 <loc_57><loc_964>051 ... <loc_82><loc_964><loc_82><loc_974><loc_60><loc_974>2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) and FBI communications regarding James Earl Ray, a suspect linked to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and related investigations into his movements in Canada. In 1977, the RCMP reported that Ray and other escaped prisoners from Tennessee State Prison had fled on June 10, 1977, and were considered armed and dangerous. The FBI sought Canadian authorities’ assistance to track Ray’s potential entry into Canada, with discussions occurring between March and July 1977. The House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA) requested RCMP records related to the MLK assassination investigation, leading to partial disclosure after negotiations. However, the RCMP noted their strict record destruction policy, which limited document availability. The FBI also referenced Ray’s 1968 arrest and prosecution, sharing reports with Tennessee authorities.  

In 1968, the RCMP investigated Ray’s alleged activities in Canada, including his presence in Montreal and Toronto. Reports indicated no evidence linked Ray to specific locations or activities mentioned, such as a map of Montreal provided by the Canadian Intelligence Service (CIS). Mrs. Sun Fun Fung Loo’s statements were noted but deemed unhelpful. The RCMP confirmed they did not retain copies of certain documents, including a map from Ray’s Toronto rooming house, which was destroyed after the investigation ended. In 1978, the HSCA sought Canadian cooperation for access to RCMP records and witness interviews, but officials declined, citing prior adequacy of their own investigation. A U.S. legal case involving FOIA requests for MLK assassination documents referenced coordination with RCMP and Scotland Yard on document release exemptions.  

Communications between RCMP, FBI, and Memphis legal offices addressed the disposition of exhibits related to the MLK assassination and civil rights conspiracy case. The RCMP sought updates on evidence held by their agency, while the FBI provided information about ongoing legal proceedings, including Ray’s motion for a new trial and transfer of case responsibility to state authorities. Discussions involved court orders removing Hugh Stanton from the case due to conflict-of-interest concerns and pending petitions for post-conviction relief in Shelby County State Criminal Court.  

Key People  
- James Earl Ray (suspect linked to MLK assassination)  
- Robert L. Moore (FBI liaison officer, Ottawa)  
- Assistant Commissioner H. S. Cooper (RCMP)  
- Congressman Robert Edgar (HSCA member)  
- Deputy Solicitor General P.A. Bissonnnette (Canadian official)  
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (civil rights leader, assassination victim)  
- Leland M. McNabb (Assistant District Attorney, Memphis)  
- Hugh Stanton (former Memphis District Attorney, removed due to conflict-of-interest)  
- Joe Haynes (trial attorney for State Attorney General’s Office, Nashville)  

Key Locations  
- Ottawa, Canada (RCMP headquarters, diplomatic discussions)  
- Toronto, Canada (Ray’s rooming house, RCMP inquiries)  
- Montreal, Canada (investigation into Ray’s alleged activities)  
- Memphis, Tennessee (legal proceedings, evidence management)  
- Washington, D.C., U.S. (HSCA, DOJ legal proceedings)  

Key Events  
- Escape of James Earl Ray and other prisoners from Tennessee State Prison on June 10, 1977  
- RCMP-FBI communications about Ray’s potential Canadian entry (March–July 1977)  
- HSCA’s request for RCMP records related to MLK assassination investigation (March–July 1977)  
- RCMP’s record destruction policy limiting document availability  
- RCMP investigation into Ray’s alleged activities in Canada during 1968  
- Destruction of investigative files by RCMP following conclusion of inquiry  
- HSCA’s efforts to secure Canadian cooperation and access to records in 1978  
- Legal case involving FOIA requests for MLK assassination documents (U.S. DOJ coordination with RCMP and Scotland Yard)  
- FBI updates on legal proceedings, including Ray’s motion for new trial and transfer of case responsibility to state authorities  
- Court orders removing Hugh Stanton from the case due to conflict-of-interest concerns  
- Pending petitions for post-conviction relief in Shelby County State Criminal Court  

Key Organizations  
- Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  
- House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA)  
- U.S. Department of Justice  
- Canadian Ministry of External Affairs  
- Tennessee authorities (e.g., Memphis District Attorney’s Office, Shelby County Attorney’s Office)  
- Scotland Yard (UK police force referenced in document exchanges)

MLK Declassified Files

44-ot-4_sec_001_ser_1-part_2_of_3.pdf

Document Summary

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