</s>FD302 (Rev. 4:1564) FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION Date: 4/4/68 1 On April 22, 1969, RAY PRUETT, number 2195, Clerk, K Hall, said that he knew JAMES RAY well and visited him on occasion in the hall. He said he considered RAY as a neighbor, said he said that RAY never used any type of drugs expect for medicine, had no RAY feelings toward the Negro in the state of Missouri. He had no feelings toward him as a net RAY in jail in St. Louis about 1959 and knew him all of the time they were in the pentitentiary except for a brief period of PRUFT, was on parole. He said that "RAY" is the type of person who has no enemies. He never said anything bad about anyone who has minded his own business. He was very quiet, but without anyone all the time he was in the state where he wanted him to investigate him. RAY had no friends, but talked to a few persons. His primary interest was baseball. He did not mention his family had no gamble, but asked to not mention him. He did he did not gamble, according to RAY. PRUPETT. said that if he did did not say he killed Dr. KING that he, PRUETTI, would not believe him. He Said that RAV. ruett, would NOT believe him, He said that his information regarding the possible whereabouts of RAY and had no information concerning who might have aided in his escape . from prison. He said RAY is not the type or person to have committed the crime of killing Dr. KINGS, in his opinion. 4/22/68 Jefferson City, Missouri 4/2/68, Jefferson City. Missouri KC 4/4-760 On File# SA ROWEN B. AYERS SS 4/ 22/68 by Date dictated This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusions of the FBI. It is the property of the Fbi is the fbi and is loaned to your agency; It and its contents are not to be distributed outside your agency. 23 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

The documents detail FBI investigations into James Earl Ray’s activities during his incarceration at Missouri State Penitentiary (MSP) and other facilities between 1965 and 1968. Interviews with inmates and prison staff describe Ray as a quiet, solitary individual with no known ties to organized crime, drug trafficking, or violent behavior. Inmates noted his frequent escape attempts, financial caution, and isolation, though none confirmed direct involvement in criminal activities beyond minor offenses. The FBI sought information on Ray’s whereabouts and potential links to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., citing inmate claims about his alleged connections to individuals named James and Eddie who planned to kill MLK for $50,000. Ray’s movements in 1967 are referenced, including his escape from MSP in April 1967 and alleged presence in St. Louis and Kansas City. The documents also mention a psychiatric evaluation of Ray at Fulton State Hospital (September–October 1966), noting his criminal history but no direct ties to MLK’s assassination. References to a "bounty" for Dr. King’s death appear in some records, though no evidence confirms its existence or Ray’s involvement.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Suspect in MLK’s assassination; described as quiet, non-confrontational, and isolated during incarceration.  
- **Ray Pruitt** (inmate #2195): Reported Ray’s lack of criminal ties, drug use, and violent tendencies.  
- **Billy Miles** (life-sentence inmate): Noted Ray’s escape attempts and financial habits but denied drug trafficking involvement.  
- **Jimmy Bradley** (inmate #718th): Described Ray as solitary with no known associates beyond occasional interactions.  
- **Orlan Rose** (inmate #79723): Recounted early encounters with Ray in 1955 and later interactions at MSP, suggesting he was framed for a robbery charge.  
- **Jerome Carpenter** (inmate #0030): Noted Ray’s family connections and described him as meek and soft-spoken.  
- **Carlos Lep Billings**: Inmate who claimed to have met James and Eddie, allegedly planning MLK’s assassination using a machine gun.  
- **John Kenneddy** (MSP inmate): Reported Ray’s presence at the prison in 1966 and his escape in April 1967.  
- **Leo Holden Parker**: Inmate who linked Ray to the 1967 kidnapping of Rita Brockelman and George McQuade Jr., suggesting a resemblance to the kidnapper.  
- **George Ben Edmondson** (MSP inmate): Discussed methods for obtaining Canadian passports for evasion, referencing Ray’s potential ties to RAY Curtis.  

Key Locations  
- **Missouri State Penitentiary (Jefferson City)**: Site of key inmate interviews and documentation of Ray’s activities.  
- **Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary (Kansas)**: Mentioned in the context of Ray’s incarceration history.  
- **St. Louis, Missouri**: Referenced as a location for Ray’s alleged activities and the 1967 kidnapping case linked to Parker.  
- **Kansas City**: Noted in connection to Ray’s early criminal associations and a paper company.  
- **Fulton State Hospital (Fulton, Missouri)**: Site of Ray’s confinement from September–October 1966 for mental evaluation.  

Key Events  
- **April 1967**: Ray escaped from MSP; subsequent investigations into his movements and potential ties to criminal activities.  
- **April 23–29, 1968**: FBI interviews with inmates at MSP and other facilities regarding Ray’s character, escape attempts, and alleged involvement in MLK’s assassination.  
- **Early 1965**: Billings reported meeting Glenn Barber, who allegedly connected him to James and Eddie for a plot to kill MLK using a machine gun.  
- **July 1967**: Kidnapping of Rita Brockelman and George McQuade Jr., linked to Parker’s claims about Ray’s resemblance to the kidnapper.  
- **September–October 1966**: Ray’s confinement at Fulton State Hospital for mental evaluation, with no direct link to MLK’s assassination.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted interviews and investigations into Ray’s alleged involvement in MLK’s assassination.  
- **Missouri State Penitentiary (MSP)**: Site of inmate interactions and documentation of Ray’s activities.  
- **Fulton State Hospital**: Involved in Ray’s mental evaluation following an escape attempt.  
- **Missouri Department of Corrections**: Administered prison systems where Ray was incarcerated.  
- **Legal Aid and Defender Society of Greater Kansas City**: Linked to Sterling Hill’s release from MSP.

MLK Declassified Files

44-si-561_sec_011_ser_530-531-part_5_of_7.pdf

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