Chasing King's Killer

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Chasing King's Killer Page 19

by James L. Swanson


  Whosoever: Metropolitan Interdenominational Church; “Citizens of the World”; Metro—A Service of the Death and Resurrection; In Memoriam, James Earl Ray, May 28, 1998. Nashville, Tennessee. (4-page James Earl Ray funeral program)

  KING ASSASSINATION (CONSPIRACY WORKS)

  Blumenthal, Sid, and Harvey Yazijian, eds. Government by Gunplay: Assassination Conspiracy Theories from Dallas to Today. New York: New American Library, 1976.

  Committee to Investigate Assassinations. American Political Assassinations: A Bibliography of Works Published 1963–1970, Relating to the Assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Robert F. Kennedy. Washington, DC: Special Collections Division, Georgetown University Library, 1973. Several versions of this were published. This was Bud Fensterwald/Jim Lasar’s effort, which later became the Assassination Archives and Research Center.

  Conspiracy?: Who Killed Martin Luther King, Jr. History Channel, original aired in 2003, 45 minutes. Now part of a 3-DVD set: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uY3mszZlebo

  DiEugenio, James, and Lisa Pease, eds. The Assassinations: Probe Magazine on JFK, MLK, RFK, and Malcolm X. Los Angeles: Feral House, 2003.

  Dyson, Michael Eric. April 4, 1968: Martin Luther King Jr.’s Death and How It Changed America. New York: Basic Civitas Books, 2008.

  Emison, John Avery. The Martin Luther King Congressional Cover-Up: The Railroading of James Earl Ray, LA. Gretna: Pelican Publishing, 2014.

  Gabriel, Michael. James Earl Ray: The Last Days of Inmate #65477. Los Angeles: Cat Yoga Publishing, 2004.

  “The King Murder Mystery: Will a New Investigation Establish the Truth?” Skeptic: The Magazine of Opposing View, 18 (March/April 1977).

  King v. Jowers (trial transcript): http://www.thekingcenter.org/sites /default/files/KING%20FAMILY%20TRIAL%20TRANSCRIPT .pdf

  Lane, Mark, and Dick Gregory. Code Name “Zorro”: The Murder of Martin Luther King, Jr. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1977. Reprinted in 1993 as Murder in Memphis.

  McMichael, Pate. Klandestine: How a Klan Lawyer and a Checkbook Journalist Helped James Earl Ray. Chicago: Chicago Review Press, 2015.

  Marks, Stanley. Coup D’Etat: November 22, 1963; The Conspiracies That Murdered President Kennedy, the Rev. Martin Luther King, and Senator Robert F. Kennedy with Comments of the Trials of Clay B. Shaw, Sirhan B. Sirhan, and James Earl Ray. Los Angeles: Bureau of International Affairs, 1970.

  Melanson, Philip H. The Murkin Conspiracy: An Investigation into the Assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. New York: Praeger, 1989.

  ———. Who Killed Martin Luther King? (The Real Story Series). Berkeley: Odonian Press, 1993.

  Melanson, Philip H., and Noah Griffin. The Martin Luther King Assassination: New Revelations on the Conspiracy and Cover-Up, 1968–1991. New York: Shapolsky Publishers, 1994.

  Newton, Michael. A Case for Conspiracy. Los Angeles: Holloway House Publishing, 1980. Reprinted in 1987 as The King Conspiracy.

  Pepper, William F. An Act of State: The Execution of Martin Luther King. New York: Verso, 2008.

  ———. Orders to Kill: The Truth behind the Murder of Martin Luther King, Jr. New York: Warner Books, 1998. Revised, updated, and expanded as The Plot to Kill the King: The Truth behind the Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. New York: Skyhorse Publishing, 2016.

  Potash, John. The FBI War on Tupac Shakur and Black Leaders: U.S. Intelligence’s Murderous Targeting of Tupac, MLK, Malcolm, Panthers, Hendrix, Marley, Rappers & Linked Ethnic Leftists. s.l.: Progressive Left Press, 2008.

  Ray, James Earl. Tennessee Waltz: The Making of a Political Prisoner. Saint Andrews: Saint Andrews Press, 1987.

  ———. Who Killed Martin Luther King?: The True Story by the Alleged Assassin. Washington, DC: National Press Books, 1992.

  Ray, Jerry, and Tamara Carter. A Memoir of Injustice: By the Younger Brother of James Earl Ray, Alleged Assassin of Martin Luther King, Jr. Walterville: TrineDay, 2011.

  Ray, John Larry, and Lyndon Barsten. Truth at Last: The Untold Story behind James Earl Ray and the Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. Guilford: Lyons Press, 2008.

  Ross, Robert Gaylon. The Elite Serial Killers of Lincoln, JFK, RFK & MLK. Spicewood: RIE, 2001.

  Savastano, Carmine. Two Princes and a King: A Concise Review of Three Political Assassinations. Neapolis Media Group, 2016.

  Scott, Peter Dale, Paul L. Hoch, and Russell Stetler. The Assassinations: Dallas and Beyond: A Guide to Cover-ups and Investigations. New York: Random House, 1976.

  The Murder of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. African American History Network. (2 DVDs)

  The 13th Juror: The Official Transcript of the Martin Luther King Assassination Conspiracy Trial. s.l.: MLK the Truth, LLC, 2009.

  Weisberg, Harold. Frame-Up: The Martin Luther King/James Earl Ray Case Containing Suppressed Evidence. New York: Outerbridge & Dienstfrey, 1971. Several reprints, such as Martin Luther King: The Assassination. New York: Carroll & Graf, 1993. (with a postscript by James Earl Ray)

  Wexler, Stuart, and Larry Hancock. The Awful Grace of God: Religion, Terrorism, White Supremacy, and the Unsolved Murder of Martin Luther King, Jr. Berkeley: Counterpoint, 2012.

  Who Killed Martin Luther King, Jr.? Clarendon Ent., 2008. 64 minutes, (DVD).

  Wilson, Donald G. Evidence Withheld: The True Story of the FBI Cover-Up in the Assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King. Jr. Parker: Outskirts Press, 2013.

  KING (FBI MONITORING)

  Churchill, Ward, and Jim Vander Wall. The COINTELPRO Papers: Documents from the FBI’s Secret War against Domestic Dissent. Boston: South End Press, 1990.

  Friedly, Michael, and David Gallen. Martin Luther King., Jr.: The FBI File. New York: Carroll & Graf, 1993.

  Garrow, David J. The FBI and Martin Luther King, Jr., from “Solo” to Memphis. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1981.

  Johnson, Loch K. Season of Inquiry: The Senate Intelligence Investigation. Lexington: University of Kentucky Press, 1985.

  McKnight, Gerald. The Last Crusade: Martin Luther King Jr., the FBI, and the Poor People’s Campaign. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1998.

  O’Reilly, Kenneth. Black Americans: The FBI Files. New York: Carroll & Graf, 1994.

  ———. Racial Matters: The FBI’s Secret File on Black America, 1960–1972. New York: The Free Press, 1992.

  U.S. Senate. Supplemental Detailed Staff Reports on Intelligence Activities and the Rights of Americans. Final Report of the Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities. 94th Congress, 2nd Session, Senate Report 94-755. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, April 23, 1976. Book III (“the Church Committee”). (This volume is specifically related to FBI, COINTELPRO, and Martin Luther King, Jr.: http://www .aarclibrary.org/publib/church/reports/book3/html/ChurchB3 _0001a.htm)

  U.S. Senate. Hearings: Federal Bureau of Investigation. Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities. 94th Congress, 1st Session. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1976. Volume VI (“the Church Committee”).

  U.S., 109th Congress, 2nd Session, House-Senate Companion Bills, H.R. 2554 and S. 2499, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Records Collection Act of 2006, a bill to create a Records Review Board to collect all government records relating to Martin Luther King. No Congressional action. Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) and Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) announced plans to reintroduce the legislation in the 112th Congress in 2010, but it was not introduced.

  Note: Page numbers in italics refer to illustrations.

  Abernathy, Ralph

  and aftermath of King’s assassination, 144–145, 171, 185, 186

  and assassination of King, 138, 140, 143, 144, 145, 146

  civil rights work of, 109, 119, 174, 185, 252

  and death of, 252

  and dinner plans with Kyles, 138, 139, 140

  and entourage of King, 119, 120, 121, 138, 173–174, 174

  and funeral services for King, 205, 207, 210

  and King’
s last night at home with his family, 117

  King’s relationship with, 109, 123, 145, 174, 185, 205, 252

  and leadership, 109, 174, 202, 252

  and “Mountaintop” address of King, 122–123, 128

  and sanitation workers’ strike, 109–110, 202

  and transport to funeral home, 170–171

  trip to Memphis, 108, 109, 118, 119, 121

  And the Walls Came Tumbling Down, 252

  “Abraham, Martin and John” (Holler), 239–241, 240

  Adams, Ronald, 10

  Aeromarine Supply Company, 110–112, 111

  absence of surveillance cameras at, 171

  and false identity used by Ray, 196

  and manhunt for King’s killer, 187

  rifle purchased at, 110–112, 111, 112–113, 146

  And the Walls Came Tumbling Down (Abernathy), 252

  Anschutz, Willie, 148

  Apollo 8 mission of NASA, 241–244, 242–243

  Arrests of civil rights activists, 31, 32, 32, 39, 40–41, 42, 43

  Assassination attempt by Curry (1958), 1–14

  attempted murder of King, 4–6, 8

  and Blumstein’s, 2, 3, 3–4, 258

  and book-signing tour, 1–4, 5

  Curry arrested, 8, 9, 12–13

  and fatalism of King, 13–14, 125–128

  and Harlem Hospital, 10–11, 11, 13, 15

  injuries suffered by King, 7, 8, 10, 34, 124–125

  and King’s career following, 50, 125–126

  and “Mountaintop” address of King, 124–125

  Assassination of King (1968), 129–151

  aftermath of, 144–151, 147, 151, 152–153, 162–165, 168–169, 170, 170–172, 173, 174, 174–178, 175, 177, 178, 181, 182, 185–186, 197–212, 198–199, 200–201, 206–207, 208–209, 211

  bullet used in, 112, 143, 144, 152–153, 169, 170, 188, 192

  and conspiracy rumors, 224, 235–237, 251

  death of King, 169–171

  and description of suspect, 137, 159, 160, 161, 165, 214, 215, 216, 217, 218, 222

  diagrams of murder scene, 133, 152–153

  evidence left by Ray, 141, 145, 147, 150, 151, 159, 168–169, 188, 191–192, 236

  fingerprints left by Ray, 135, 191–192, 216, 218, 224, 236

  initial reports of, 157–158

  injuries suffered by King, 144, 145–146, 148, 164–165

  and Kennedy, R., 179–182, 181

  location of assassin (see also rooming house rented by Ray)

  location of King (see also Lorraine Motel, Memphis, Tennessee)

  medical treatment of King, 164–165, 169

  motive for, 237–238

  news of, 165, 171, 176, 179–182, 189

  and police response, 145, 148, 157–161, 163, 164 (see also Tactical Unit 10)

  Ray’s decision to kill King, 102, 107, 126

  Ray’s denial of responsibility for, 251

  Ray’s trial for, 234–235

  shot fired by Ray, 140–145, 143, 147, 152–153 (see also rifle used in assassination of King)

  sniper’s nest for, 134–136, 135, 142, 143, 188

  and tracking King’s movements, 108, 116, 126, 129, 136, 137, 138

  and transport of King to hospital, 161, 162, 164

  and view of the Lorraine, 131–134, 135, 138, 142, 147, 152–153

  and witnesses, 150, 162–164

  See also escape of Ray; manhunt for Ray

  Assassinations, (see also John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Medgar Evers, Robert F. Kennedy)

  Atlanta, Georgia, 103, 172, 188, 191, 234

  and birthplace of King, 19

  and family homes of King, 23, 26, 117, 257

  and protests in, 38

  and Ray’s rooming house in, 108, 112, 172

  and Ray’s travels in, 103, 110, 116, 171, 172, 188, 191, 194, 234

  and King’s funeral and burial, 197–212

  and murder of King’s mother, 249

  Atlanta Constitution, 116

  Bailey, F. Lee, 231, 234

  Barrasso, Jerome, 169

  Belafonte, Harry, 202

  Bevel, James, 120, 163

  Birch, Philip, 229–230

  Birmingham, Alabama

  arrest of King in, 42, 43

  bombing of Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, 52–54, 53, 257

  Civil Rights Act, 1964, 125

  King stranded in, 107

  nonviolent demonstrations in, 40, 42, 44

  Ray in, 92, 103, 110

  violent opposition to civil rights in, 40, 44, 44, 45

  Black Lives Matter movement, 246

  Black Panther Party, 71, 71

  “Black Power,” 71

  Black supremacy, King on, 3

  Bloody Sunday, 66

  Blumstein’s department store, 2–4, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 258

  Bombing of King home, 33

  Books written by King

  and book-signing tour in New York, 1–4, 5 (see also assassination attempt by Curry)

  Strength to Love, 173, 173

  Stride Toward Freedom, x, 1–4, 3

  Where Do We Go from Here? 73, 245

  Booth, John Wilkes, 219

  Boston University’s School of Theology, 28

  “Boy” (term applied to black men), 26

  Branch, Ben, 140, 163

  Brown v. Board of Education, 37

  Burch, Lucius, 120

  Bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama, 1, 31–34, 32, 33, 35

  Butler, Thomas, 230

  Caldwell, Earl, 120

  Canada, 103

  and passport application of Ray, 193–194, 213, 221, 224, 236

  Ray’s stopover in, 193–194, 205, 213, 219, 234

  Ray’s movements in, 103, 231

  Canipe, Mr., 150, 159

  Canipe Amusement Company, 150–151, 151, 152, 188, 192

  Capitol Homes public housing, 191, 194, 195

  Carmichael, Stokely, 71

  Car of Ray

  abandoned after assassination, 191, 195

  and driving cross country, 101

  and escape from crime scene, 149, 151, 161, 165, 236

  fingerprints wiped from, 191

  hoax sighting of, 166–168

  and manhunt for King’s killer, 161, 191, 194, 195–196

  and plans for assassinating King, 116, 130

  purchased with false identity, 92, 194, 195

  seized by FBI, 194–195

  Chaney, James, 58–59

  Chicago, Illinois

  and aftermath of King’s assassination, 177, 178

  King’s failure in, 69–70

  mourning King’s death in, 211–212

  Ray as an escaped criminal in, 83, 87, 90

  segregation in, 69–70

  violence against blacks in, 21

  Chicago Defender, 12

  Christian Church and civil rights movement, 37

  “Civil Disobedience” (Thoreau), 27

  Civil Rights Act, 1964, 57, 58, 68, 75, 125

  Civil rights movement, 31–72

  and Abernathy, 109, 119, 174, 185, 252

  and arrests of civil rights activists, 31, 32, 32, 39, 40–41, 42, 43

  and assassination attempt by Curry, 34

  and assassination of Malcolm X, 63–65

  in Chicago, 69–70

  dangers associated with, 65 (see also violence associated with civil rights movement)

  Johnson’s advocacy for, 54–57, 58, 176, 248

  King as symbol of, 14, 34, 35, 36–37, 50–51, 247

  King’s leadership of, 1, 34, 36, 65, 109, 174, 247, 253

  landmarks of, 256–258

  and law enforcement, 163

  legal strategies of, 37

  long-term plan of, 36

  marches of (see also marches)

  and modern civil rights issues, 246

  and murders of civil rights workers, 58–59, 68

  role of religious faith in, 37

  and slavery’s
long-term effects, 36

  strategies of, 36–37 (see also nonviolent resistance)

  sympathy for, 44, 54

  and Vietnam War, 73–77

  Civil War, US, 25, 58, 122

  Clark, Ramsey, 184, 185, 187

  Coleman, Vernoll, 6–7

  Collins, Addie Mae, 53

  Commercial Appeal newspaper (Memphis), 129

  Confederate States of America, 19, 122

  Connor, Eugene “Bull,” 44

  Conspiracy rumors, 224, 235–237, 251

  Cotton, Dorothy, 120

  Crozer Theological Seminary, 27

  Curry, Izola Ware

  attempted assassination of King, 4–9, 252–253, 258

  in custody, 9, 11, 12–13

  death of, 252

  Daley, Richard, 69

  Davis, Georgia, 120

  Davis, R. R., 162–163

  DeLoach, Cartha “Deke,” 184–185, 187, 214

  Dixon, Harry, 8

  Douglas, E. E., 157

  Ebenezer Baptist Church

  as civil rights landmark, 257

  and funeral services for King, 202–206, 204

  as headquarters for King, 112

  murder of King’s mother at, 249

  ordination of King at, 27

  Economic justice, 27, 107, 245–246

  Education of King, 27, 28

  Ellington, Duke, 2

  Employment, equal access to, 37

  Entourage of King

  and assassination attempt by Curry, 8

  mourning King’s death, 173–174, 174

  Ray’s surveillance of, 136

  return to Memphis, 120

  See also specific members, including Abernathy, Ralph

  Escape of Ray

  across state lines, 81–84, 171–172

  into Canada, 193

  immediately following shooting, 133, 146, 148–151, 149, 157, 162

  and media reports of King’s death, 171

  and passport application of Ray, 193–194, 213, 221, 224, 236

  and police perimeter around Lorraine, 159

  rifle abandoned during, 150, 151

  See also manhunt for Ray

  Maps of, 103, 234

  Eskridge, Chauncey, 120

  Evers, Medgar, 46

  Evil, noncooperation with, 27

  Fatalism of King, 13–14, 54

  The F.B.I. (television series), 90, 219

  Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

  and car of Ray, 194–195

  and conspiracy rumors, 235

 

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