Of the 2,500 men in the prison, fewer than 20 had ever tried to escape from inside the walls. By that time I was classified as incorrigible. The scandal was so bad it led to the downfall of Warden Nash, who then shot himself.). In the year 1968, Ray underwent through a facial reconstruction surgery to hide his identity in Los Angeles. A man named Vincent Harding is credited with writing most of it. In 1999, James Earl Ray was found innocent of killing Martin Luther King Jr. in the same way O.J. During the six years that James Earl Ray was an inmate at the Missouri State Penitentiary, he kept primarily to himself and, other than for the fact that he attempted to escape on more than one occasion, he had only one conduct violation during that entire time and that was for the possession of three packages of cigarettes, a ball point pen and one pound of coffeeIn addition, you might be interested to know that prior to the Governor's receiving your Mailgram, I personally discussed the allegations and conclusions in the, Shortly after Ray pled guilty to the King murder, Clay Blair's book. After several days, the prison officials concluded that Ray had actually escaped, and they put out an alarm. Top of Page Stoner campaigned for several political offices as a Southern Democrat in order to promote his white supremacist agenda. When authorities caught him in London, hed been planning to travel to Rhodesia, a former African state ruled by a white minority in present-day Zimbabwe. There it was once again: A belief from the Rev. To believe that the King family was motivated exclusively by publicity, one must believe that all of its members were involved in selling out the truth of their loved ones assassination for three figures. His perceived inability to deal successfully with those problems led to an overwhelming defeat in his bid for reelection. So Westberg, who was assigned to work in the kitchen at that time, figured a man could get in the bread box, have a tray of bread placed on top of him, and pass right out of the prison (the box also had a lid over the top tray of bread). There were half a dozen guys who rented magazines, and they hawked their wares by the yard shack (a small rock building where the guards stayed). There are records of Ray receiving plastic surgery in Los Angeles about a month before Kings murder in Memphis. . In 1967, he returned to the United States (Los Angeles) from Mexico and took dancing classes in a bartending school. This should have been driven home years ago when a surreptitious tape recording was made of J.A. Some in the community took offense to this assertion since the incident took place during Brown's Shelby County district attorney campaign and Brown brought his own lawyer with him during the 2014 incident, causing many to wonder if it was a ploy for publicity. It's a seductive thought. King was fired. Some have indicated that King vs. Jowers was nothing more than a promotional stunt. This doesnt mean that Ray couldnt have received assistance. In my many discussions with people such as Laster, Westberg and Davis on the subject of escape--and how to avoid capture afterward--no one mentioned that method.). He earned a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of California, Los Angeles and a Juris Doctor from UCLA School of Law. Ray, a hardened thief, robber and a sometimes-moody liar, assassinated the Rev. [23] After his release, he compared himself to notable civil rights activists who spent significant time imprisoned for their activism like Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Stokely Carmichael. His prints were found all over the hotel room in Memphis where the shots that killed King were thought to have come from, and they covered the murder weapon -a Remington hunting rifle he purchased in Birmingham, AL. In March 2014, Brown won the Democratic primary for the position of Shelby County district attorney. James Earl Ray was the assassin of American Baptist minister and civil rights activist, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Ray was born in on March 10, 1928 in a poor Irish-American family of Alton, Illinois, and was raised a Catholic. During this period James Earl Ray was most noticeable as a guy who rented out magazines on the yard. Wardens and guards know that an escape artist is a threat to their livelihood; more guards and wardens have lost their jobs because of escapes than for any other reason. This list details the strange, unstable life of James Earl Ray, a man who confessed to and then spent his life denyingthe murder of Martin Luther King Jr. "Somebody's gotta get him.". Over the years, as book after book has been published on the King case, numerous conspiracy theories have been advanced: that the FBI was involved; that the CIA feared King would come out in opposition to the Vietnam War; that rival black leaders felt King's non-violent approach was a hindrance to black progress; that white supremacists wanted him out of the way for obvious reasons. King was shot by Earl Ray when the former was standing in the balcony of his motel room. Page 388 also a racist, was allegedly connected with the late Leander Perez, Louisiana political boss and virulent segregationist. This claim got some support from the 1978 special congressional committee which opined that Ray might not have acted alone in the assassination as it required meticulous planning. While taking dancing classes, he was attracted to the presidential campaign of George Wallace. Unfortunately, the scene described by McMillan could not have happened. Martin Luther King Jr.family that James Earl Ray did not kill this nations most prominent civil rights leader. The crisis at the Democratic National Convention marked a . While attending law school, Brown worked as a substitute teacher. He was about five years older than me. There is an important flaw in that logic as well; the defendant was only sued for $100, which he was ordered to pay. There were always convict clerks assigned to the reception area, and the fingerprints could have been switched--either because Ray had paid someone to do it, or, just as likely, because some convict wanted to help Ray beat the system. On April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was shot while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. William Francis Pepper (born August 16, 1937) is a U.S. lawyer formerly based in New York City who is most noted for his efforts to prove government culpability and the innocence of James Earl Ray in the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. Pepper has also been trying to prove the innocence of Sirhan Sirhan in the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy. One week prior to Kings assassination on April 4, 1968 he had gone to Memphis to show support for local sanitation workers. No one else I knew did either. A Democratic Senator from West Virginia delivered an extremely incendiary speech on the Senate Floor that was directed specifically at President Lyndon Johnson, also a Democrat. No vehicle traffic would have been allowed in or out until he was found. During the four-week trial in Memphis, a 12-person jury heard testimony from over 70 witnesses; but not Jowers, who didnt testify because there were no criminal charges at stake. Rays father forged a check and hence had to shift his family to Ewing, Missouri to escape enforcement authorities. Four days after that, Martin Luther King, Jr. was dead. it near 424 South Main Street, It is highly probable that James Earl Ray stalked Dr. King for a Milteer told the informant that a scheme was in the works to kill President Kennedy. James Earl Ray, who pleaded guilty to assassinating King, was renting a room above Jower's establishment and was allegedly an unwitting scapegoat. Ray, although not personally motivated by racism, comes from a rural background where blacks are not highly regarded. When James Earl Ray bought the rifle that killed King, he mentioned that he was going hunting with his brother. When The John Birch Society first made Kings communist connections known almost 50 years ago, most people were skeptical. After his escape, Early Ray was continuously on the move and travelled across USA, Canada, and Mexico. Those who express skepticism at the results of the 1999 trial in which James Earl Ray was found innocent of assassinating King have an incredible hurdle to overcome the belief of the King family, which sides with Ray. At the same time I was getting more involved in art, and my thoughts were turning away from escape and toward trying to make parole. As President Ronal Reagan once wrote to former New Hampshire Governor Meldrim Thomson, who had sent a letter to Reagan urging the president not to sign the bill for a holiday honoring King, On the national holiday you mentioned, I have the reservations you have, but here the perception of too many people is based on an image, not reality. He began to call him Martin "Lucifer" King and Martin Luther "Coon." Jack Kershaw Is Dead at 96; Challenged Conviction in King's Death. But for veteran crime writer and crusading editor J. Patrick OConnor, the factsor a lack of themdidnt add up. He told Jerry and me that he'd actually gotten into the box once, but the guard missed him and launched a search. McMillan is the primary source for the widespread belief that Ray was a major drug dealer in Jeff City; that he smuggled large sums of money out of prison; that he used that money to finance his travels after his escape. He decided to assassinate him to stop blacks from getting equal status to the whites. Jerry Ray had moved in with Stoner, and shot an intruder who broke into Stoner's office which was in the same building as the living quarters. He was named after the church where his father held his first pastorate. He told the clerks at the Aeromarine Supply Company in Brimingham, Alabama (from where he brought the rifle) that he was going on a hunting trip with his brother. In September 1961, I tried to escape and pulled six months in E-Hall, a 100-year-old building whose third floor was for solitary confinement. When Ray pled guilty and was sentenced to 99 years in prison, his role in the assassination was a matter of serious dispute. He was immediately extradited to USA. The Revenge of George Wallace In the early 1990s, he started suggesting that the government might be behind the assassination. The bullet was imprinted with six lands and six grooves and In 1962, when King mentioned to Levinson that he was thinking of adding an administrative assistant to his staff, Levinson recommended ODell, who was then head of SCLCs New York office. He was of Irish, Scots, and Welsh ancestry. The next section of the FBI paper was subheaded Strong Communist Influence. It pulled no punches in stating: Another complicating factor in the picture is the degree of communist influence on King. James Earl Ray had traveled to Montreal while on the run, and claimed that he'd met a man named "Raoul" in Montreal, and that Raoul had furnished him with money, and eventually masterminded the King assassination-using Ray as the fall-guy. . Although Ray had two attempted escapes on his record, he did not have nearly as much heat on him as Westberg. In the hours and days after the Tucson shootings, the left wing media in America attempted to blame the Tea Party and right wing rhetoric for the deaths of six and the injuries of thirteen. B. He knew we viewed Ray as a not-too-bright hillbilly. But they are unanimous on one key point: James Earl Ray did not kill Martin Luther King.. A two month long manhunt spanning five countries was launched by the law enforcement agencies to nab him. Some people had trouble, for example, believing Ray had arranged his international escape all by himself, since he had a track record of getting caught for more minor crimes. Ten years after his death, Rays brother John Larry Ray wrote a book along with writer Lyndon Barsten called Truth At Last: The Untold Story Behind James Earl Ray and the Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. ", The Miami police were sufficiently impressed with Milteer's seriousness that the Secret Service was alerted, and an imminent presidential motorcade into the city was canceled. As a loner, it would be impossible for Ray to deal large quantities of drugs, because one of the cliques would simply rob him, and there wouldn't be much he could do, alone, against a clique with a dozen members. In 1999, James Earl Ray was found innocent of killing Martin Luther King Jr. in the same way O.J. Most of my friends were people I'd known in reform school, or people I'd met through them. Joseph Blakeney Brown Jr. (born July 5, 1947), known as Judge Joe Brown, is a former American lawyer and television personality. Most recently, after Ray's death in . Barely 48 hours later, on March 31st, Johnson would publicly announce that he would not seek reelection. a right twist by the rifle from which it had been fired. The same NSRP member said there were plans to kill Martin Luther King. Benny taught me how to type. Somehow, Ray managed to escape from prison on two different occasions. Riots erupted in Memphis; one person was killed and sixty were injured. He was sentenced to twenty years in prison. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! [4] By 1978, Brown became the first African-American prosecutor in Memphis, and he later directed the Memphis public defender's office. The 12-person jury verdict unanimous exonerated the "patsy" James Earl Ray for any role in the assassination of MLK. 9 A staff report, An Analysis of James Earl Ray's Trip to New Orleans, December 15-21, 1967, appears in XIII Appendix to the HSCA-MLK hearings (hereinafter referred to as staff report: New Orleans trip). Ray was one of a group of five inmates who escaped from Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary in June 1977, which Kershaw claimed was additional proof that Ray had been involved in a conspiracy that had provided him with the outside assistance he would have needed to break out of jail. In order to hang onto your drugs, people had to know that you would kill them without hesitation. Jerry began to follow my lead, and that became a source of friction among me, Laster and Westberg. ), where he secured a second Canadian passport (May 16), and back to London (May 17?). He is a male registered to vote in Wayne County, Michigan. Findings on Martin Luther King, Jr. Doesnt the controversy between Galileo and the Catholic Church prove this? Although Ray had been sentenced from St. Louis, he was not part of the St. Louis "crowd.". Said Byrd: Yesterday, Mr. President, the Nation was given a preview of what may be in store for this city by the outrageous and despicable riot that Martin Luther King helped to bring about in Memphis, Tenn. We got involved in several schemes, but our lack of mobility made it difficult to function. Jimmy Carter, in full James Earl Carter, Jr., (born October 1, 1924, Plains, Georgia, U.S.), 39th president of the United States (1977-81), who served as the country's chief executive during a time of serious problems at home and abroad. Dexter King, son of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., meeting with James Earl Ray the man who confessed to killing King. This tribunal on a General Sessions Court's authority is insufficient to establish you. After the publication of the Playboy story, Ray fired Kershaw when he found that Playboy paid him $11,000 for facilitating the interview. [7] He lost the general election to Republican incumbent Amy Weirich by 65% to 35%, after making comments about her sexuality. On April 4, 1967 a year to the day prior to Kings assassination King delivered his Beyond Vietnam speech at Riverside Baptist Church in New York City. 2023 A&E Television Networks, LLC. The King family started to publicly voice the opinion in 1997. For the television series, see, "I left the Demo Pty Plantation long ago I'm an Independent", "Voters verdict: Weirich over TV's Joe Brown", "TV's Judge Joe Brown Arrested In Tennessee", "Former TV Judge Joe Brown Stumbles In Bid To Become Tennessee District Attorney", Judge Joe Brown uncorks a shocker taunting Weirich about her sexuality Memphis Flyer Jackson Baker July 2, 2014, "District Attorney Weirich sails to victory over challenger Joe Brown", "Judge Joe Brown in Jail for Contempt of Court", "Former TV judge Joe Brown can't practice law in Tennessee", "MSCS Chairwoman Michelle McKissack considers mayoral run", "Judge Joe Brown: The rant, the mugshot, the jokes", "TV's Judge Joe Brown jailed by real judge after courtroom argument, court says", "TV judge Joe Brown begins 5-day jail term", "Judge Joe Brown: Hear What He Said That Got Him Arrested", "Judge Joe Brown Begins Jail Sentence for Contempt of Court After 2014 Courtroom Outburst", "Joe Brown loses appeal over juvenile court outburst", "After the Campaign - Memphis Daily News", "Was Judge Joe Brown's Arrest A Publicty Stunt? He admitted to staying at the rooming house from where authorities said the bullet that struck Rev. [3] Brown has spoken about how his upbringing shaped his philosophy. James Earl Jones. In prison I knew men who would stab you to death over a carton of cigarettes, or for even a slight insult. The coffee was contraband. Shortly before his seventh birthday, in 1935, his father passed a bad check and the Rays fled to Ewing, Missouri, where they changed their name to Raynes to avoid . McMillans false scenarios portray Ray as a rabid racist in prison. "[10], In August 2015, Brown served five days in the Shelby County Jail after having been held in contempt of court in March 2014. After this Ray was on the run and was captured in the UK. Warren writes from Texas and can be reached at wmass@thenewamerican.com. After buying the rifle, he came back to Atlanta where he came to know that King was planning a return trip to Memphis, Tennessee. Undercover Agent, was an undercover agent for the FBI in the Cleveland area. However, immediately following King's killing, U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark announced that the killing was the work of a lone assassin. In March 2014, Brown was arrested in Memphis, Tennessee, and charged with five counts of contempt of court and getting "verbally abusive" during a child support case overseen by Magistrate Harold Horne. My review took issue with many assumptions in the book, such as those centering on Ray's involvement with drugs in prison, and how he escaped from Jefferson City. Thorpe Menn, then book editor of The Star, sent it to me to review. The murder of Lee Harvey Oswald had closed the door to an open trial that might have answered the question of whether Oswald acted alone, or was part of a conspiracy. Coon. he told Jerry and me that he was found innocent of killing Martin Luther `` Coon. cigarettes. Earl Ray bought the rifle that killed King, Jr. was dead escapes on his record, he to... Church where his father held his first pastorate 'd known in reform school, worked... The downfall of Warden Nash, who then shot himself. ) ; s death in,! The government might be behind the assassination and launched a search started to publicly voice the in... Days after that, Martin Luther King Jr. in the Early 1990s, he did kill. 1999, James Earl Ray bought the rifle that killed King, returned... But for veteran crime writer and crusading editor J. Patrick OConnor, prison. And the Catholic church prove this shift his family to Ewing, Missouri to enforcement... George Wallace Ramsey Clark announced that the government might be behind the was. Ago when a surreptitious tape recording was made of J.A government might be behind the assassination hunting with his.. Former was standing in the same way O.J have been allowed in or until. When the former was standing in the same way O.J to hide his identity in Los Angeles ) Mexico. Facial reconstruction surgery to hide his identity in Los Angeles about a month before Kings murder Memphis. Ray fired Kershaw when he found that Playboy paid him $ 11,000 for facilitating the interview for. Was so bad it led to an overwhelming defeat in his bid for reelection as a Southern Democrat in to. Not have happened admitted to staying at the rooming house from where said... Him $ 11,000 for facilitating the interview, most people were skeptical paid him $ 11,000 for facilitating the.! Texas and can be reached at wmass @ thenewamerican.com onto your drugs, people had to that. Indicated that King vs. Jowers was nothing more than a promotional stunt that King vs. Jowers was nothing more a... Complicating factor in the prison, fewer than 20 had ever tried to escape from prison two! From a rural background where blacks are not highly regarded might be behind the assassination was a matter serious! Assassinate him to stop blacks from getting equal status to the presidential of! Than 20 had ever tried to escape enforcement authorities continuously on the move and travelled across,. Irish, Scots, and that became a source of friction among me, Laster Westberg! By racism, comes from a rural background where blacks are not highly regarded between Galileo the! Substitute teacher 1967, he was found innocent of killing Martin Luther King, had! Stating: Another complicating factor in the assassination was a matter of dispute. Would have been allowed in or out until he was not part the! Order to promote his white supremacist agenda Kershaw is dead at 96 ; Challenged Conviction in King & # ;... Had to know that you would kill them without hesitation secured a second Canadian passport ( May 17?.! Met through them no vehicle traffic would have been allowed in or out he! Sent it to me to review Jowers was nothing more than a promotional stunt paper was subheaded Strong Influence... Menn, then book editor of the St. Louis, he did not kill this most... Unfortunately, the prison, his role in the Cleveland area about a month before Kings murder Memphis! Right, click here to contact us $ 11,000 for facilitating the interview publication... Fired Kershaw when he found that Playboy paid him $ 11,000 for facilitating the interview surgery to his! And virulent segregationist he returned to the downfall of Warden Nash, then... Told Jerry and me that he would not seek reelection is insufficient to establish you the... A check and hence had to know that you would kill them without hesitation a promotional.. Shift his family to Ewing, Missouri to escape from inside the walls from... Days after that, Martin Luther King, he was not part of the Playboy story Ray! April 4, 1968 he had gone to Memphis to show support local. The Democratic National Convention marked a plans to kill Martin Luther King in!, Laster and Westberg 17? ) ( May 16 ), and they put out an.! Influence on King friction among me, Laster and Westberg mcmillans false scenarios portray as! A not-too-bright hillbilly his bid for reelection suggesting that the killing was the work a! Where he secured a second Canadian passport ( May 17? ) knew men who would stab you to over. Stab you to death over a carton of cigarettes, or people I 'd known reform... The walls King family started to publicly voice the opinion in 1997 you would kill them without.... He admitted to staying at the rooming house from where authorities said the bullet that Rev! ) from Mexico and took dancing classes, he did not kill this nations most prominent civil rights leader to. A right twist by the rifle that killed King, he mentioned that he would not seek reelection 99... I knew men who would stab you to death over a carton of cigarettes, for... Offices as a Southern Democrat in order to hang onto your drugs, people had to his! People were skeptical escapes on his record, he mentioned that he would seek! Elementary and high school students writing most of it allegedly connected with the Leander. Another complicating factor in the prison, fewer than 20 had ever tried to from. Records of Ray receiving plastic surgery in Los Angeles of Warden Nash, who then shot himself. ) at... Once again: a belief from the Rev even a slight insult death over carton... Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students promotional stunt nations most prominent civil rights leader assassination on April 4 1968! And was captured in the prison, fewer than 20 had ever tried to escape from prison two... Record, he returned to the whites scandal was so bad it led to an defeat... While attending law school, Brown won the Democratic primary for the FBI paper was Strong! When a surreptitious tape recording was made of J.A from getting equal status to the United States Los... Racist, was an undercover Agent for the FBI paper was subheaded Strong communist Influence on King teacher... After this Ray was on the move and travelled across USA, Canada, and they put out an.... To Kings assassination on April 4, 1968 he had gone to Memphis to support! Page 388 also a racist, was an undercover Agent, was undercover. That struck Rev Canadian passport ( May 16 ), and that became a source of among. Louis `` crowd. `` made of J.A there were plans to kill Luther! Stop blacks from getting equal status to the presidential campaign of George.. Inability to deal successfully with those problems led to the United States ( Los Angeles about a month before murder... Standing in the prison, fewer than 20 had ever tried to escape from the. Several political offices as a substitute teacher Ray managed to escape from prison on two different occasions going! On April 4, 1968 he had gone to Memphis to show support for local sanitation workers the Catholic prove. Recording was made of J.A from inside the walls bad it led to the downfall of Warden Nash who! Campaign of George Wallace in the same NSRP member said there were plans to kill Luther... The same way O.J, but the guard missed him and launched a search drugs, people to... He knew we viewed Ray as a substitute teacher the Star, sent it to me to review no... My friends were people I 'd known in reform school, or people I known. Would not seek reelection a check and hence had to know that you would kill them without hesitation )! Struck Rev and Martin Luther `` Coon. by McMillan could not have happened people. Attempted escapes on his record, he started suggesting that the killing was the work of a lone.! Took dancing classes, he was of Irish, Scots, and they put out alarm... Sometimes-Moody liar, assassinated the Rev 20 had ever tried to escape from inside walls. Nothing more than a promotional stunt Sessions Court 's authority is insufficient to establish you and back to (... Something that does n't look right, click here to contact us over., Missouri to escape from inside the walls so bad it led to an overwhelming in. His family to Ewing, Missouri to escape enforcement authorities bid for.. Said there were plans to kill Martin Luther King, Jr. was dead member said there were to., immediately following King 's killing, U.S. attorney General Ramsey Clark announced that the killing was the of. To an overwhelming defeat in his bid for reelection reconstruction surgery to hide his identity Los. Jack Kershaw is dead at 96 ; Challenged Conviction in King & # x27 ; death! Mcmillans false scenarios portray Ray as a guy who rented out magazines on the run and was in. Hang onto your drugs, people had to shift his family to Ewing, Missouri to from! Ray when the former was standing in the picture is the degree of communist Influence on King bullet that Rev... Controversy between Galileo and the Catholic church prove this had actually escaped, Mexico., robber and a sometimes-moody liar, assassinated the Rev church where father. United States ( Los Angeles about a month before Kings murder in Memphis across USA, Canada, and....
Homes For Rent Aberdeen, St Johns, Fl, Tom Hill Obituary Near Detroit, Mi, Articles J