</s>JN 157-9586 18 WALTON B. DUNN 1937 Lakeshore Drive Tupelo, Mississippi Mississippi license H-7766, Dodge JACK P. GALLAGHER 163 Queen Victoria Lane Jackson, Mississippi R. D. PITTMAN 1016 Tyler Drive Tupolo, Mississippi WALLACE F. CRUMBY 112 Tedford Tupello, Mississippi WILBUR D. DOWNING 09 Cullen Road Oxford, Mississippiippi HAROLD L. DEATION 126 Thomas Street Grenada, Mississippi JOHN A. WYATT 1525 Bristol Drive Tupelo, Mississippi JAMES A. CARTER 1107 Corinne Street Hattiesburg, Mississippi Mississippi, License F-8970 CLAY SALVANT Room 290 Milner Building Jackson, Mississippi (Firm - MAP) 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary:  
The documents detail FBI and local law enforcement investigations into potential threats against Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) following his assassination on April 4, 1968. On July 20, 1968, an anonymous caller identified as "GERRY BARNETT" (claimed to be a member of the Olympia, Washington Police Department) contacted James Earl Ray, who was incarcerated in Shelby County Jail for MLK's murder. The caller expressed concern for Ray’s safety and requested contact via phone number 206-943-7928. An investigation by the Olympia Police Department revealed that Jim Frutz (possibly a misspelling of "Frutze" or "Frunz") was registered to this number, though no record confirmed his status as a police officer.  

On July 17, 1966, Fred Owens, manager of a Seattle hotel, reported an individual described as having ties to MLK’s assassination, claiming they intended to return home and “kill MARTIN LUTHER KING.” The FBI sought to identify this person through records and interviews with local authorities.  

The FBI also analyzed handwriting from anonymous notes linked to George Robert Leisinger, who was connected to an anonymous letter received by Assistant Postmaster Joseph Forror on June 11, 1968. Handwriting analysis confirmed the note was written by Leisinger, though no direct connection to MLK’s assassination was established in these documents.  

Additional records reference FBI inquiries into James Earl Ray’s activities (March 29–April 3, 1968), including his motel registrations at The Rebel Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. These investigations included references to Ray’s guilty plea and sentencing for MLK’s assassination, as well as mentions of court proceedings, appeals, and legal challenges.  

Key People:  
- James Earl Ray (defendant in MLK’s assassination case)  
- Gerry Barnett (claimed to be a police officer in Olympia, Washington; identity unverified)  
- Jim Frutz (registered to phone number 206-943-7928; no police record)  
- Fred Owens (hotel manager in Seattle, reported potential threats against MLK)  
- George Robert Leisinger (linked to anonymous note analysis)  
- William Bradford Hale (author of article referenced in FBI records)  
- James Earl Kennedy (alleged individual linked to Alabama/Mississippi activities)  

Key Locations:  
- Olympia, Washington  
- Seattle, Washington  
- Shelby County, Tennessee (Ray’s incarceration)  
- Memphis, Tennessee (The Rebel Motel)  
- Birmingham, Alabama  
- Jackson, Mississippi  
- Tupelo, Mississippi  
- Dallas, Texas  

Key Events:  
- July 20, 1968: Anonymous call from "GERRY BARNETT" to James Earl Ray regarding his safety.  
- July 17, 1966: Fred Owens reported an individual linked to potential threats against MLK.  
- June 11–27, 1968: FBI handwriting analysis connected anonymous notes to George Robert Leisinger.  
- FBI inquiries into James Earl Ray’s activities (March 29–April 3, 1968).  
- References to Ray’s guilty plea and sentencing for MLK’s assassination, as well as court proceedings, appeals, and legal challenges.  

Key Organizations:  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  
- Olympia Police Department  
- Shelby County Sheriff's Office  
- Seattle Police Department  
- Local police departments (e.g., Memphis, Tennessee; Birmingham, Alabama)  
- Courts and legal systems (references to trials, appeals, and sentencing)

MLK Declassified Files

44-se-371_767164_02-03-part_2_of_6.pdf

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