Memphis, tenn. (AP) – The federal records related to the investigation into the 1968 murder of Rev Martin Luther King Jr. were released on Monday. Thousands of documents disclosure in March About this 1963 murder President John F Kennedy,
In January, President Donald Trump ordered to release thousands of classified Government documents About Kennedy’s murder, while New York is also moving forward to reduce the federal records related to Sen’s deaths. Robert f. Kennedy and King More than five decades ago.
Trump ordered National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard and Attorney General Palm Bondi to coordinate with other government officials to review the records related to RFK and King’s killings, and the President was presented a plan for his “full release”. Some? 10,000 pages of records The RFK murder was released on 18 April.
Department of Justice Department later Asked a federal judge To eliminate a sealing order for records about two years before its expiration date. The Southern Christian leadership conference, leading the king, is against ignoring any records due to privacy reasons. The lawyers of the organization said that the king’s relatives also wanted to keep the files under the seal.
Scholars, history enthusiasts and journalists are preparing to study documents to find new information about the killing of civil rights leader in Memphis, Tennessi on 4 April 1968.
The Raja family’s statement issued after Trump’s order in January said that he is expected to get an opportunity to review the files as a family before his public release. King’s family, including its two living children, Martin III and Bernis, were given advance information about the release and their own teams were reviewing the records before public disclosure.
In a statement released on Monday, King’s children called their father’s case “wooing public curiosity for decades”. But he also emphasized the personal nature of the matter and urged that “these files should be seen in his full historical context.”
The statement said, “We ask those who are attached to the sympathy, restraint and respect for our family’s constant grief to release these files,” the statement says.
Here we know about the murder and what scholars had to say before the release of documents.
In Memphis, Shots Ring Out
King Loren was standing on the balcony of Motal, going to dinner with some friends, when it was Shot killed,
The Raja Memphis had a cleanliness workers to support the workers who went on strike opposing the situation of poor work and low salary. The night before the murder, the king gave the famous “Mountaineer” speech A stormy night at the Mason Temple in Memphis.
The first march on Belle Street became violent, and the king returned as an expression of non -violent opposition to lead another march in Memphis. The king was also planning a campaign of poor people to speak against economic injustice.
FBI investigation
After a long manhint, James Earl Re London was captured, and convicted for killing the king. He later abandoned the argument and maintained his innocence until his death in 1998.
The FBI documents released over the last few years show how the bureau wired King’s telephone lines, rebelled their hotel rooms and used informers to get information against them.
“He was consistently targeted by an aggressive, hunter and deep disturbing disintegration and monitoring campaign,” said the King Family’s statement.
Raja family response to investigation
Raja’s family members and others have questioned whether Ray had worked alone, or if he was also involved. Kings Wido, Koreta Scott King asked to reopen the investigation, and in 1998, the then Attorney General Janet Reno directed the Civil Rights Division of the US Department of Justice to do so.
The Department of Justice said that “Nothing was found to disturb the 1969 judicial determination that James Earl Ray killed Dr. King.”
Dexter kingOne of the children’s children, met Ray in jail in 1997, later said that he believes in the claims of innocence to Ray’s claims. Dexter King died in 2024.
With the support of Raja’s family, a civil test in the state court was held in 1999 against Loyd Jawars at Memphis, alleging that a person was aware of the conspiracy to kill the king. Dozens of witnesses testified, and a memphis jury found the jawars and anonymous people, including government agencies, participated in the conspiracy to kill the king.
What will the public see in the newly released documents?
It is not clear what the records will actually show.
For example, King Scholars, would like to see that the FBI discussed and broadcast the FBI as part of its investigation.
Jones said, “Given the fact that the American public, at that time, was unaware that the FBI who is involved in the investigation was leading a spot to discredit the same man when he was alive,” Jones said. “He was the same bureau that was receiving notices of murder attempt against Raja and ignored him.”
The academics studying the king would also like to see information about the King’s Monitoring of the FBI, in which he went to get details about his personal life, track them and try to discredit him as an anti -American, Martin Luther King at Stanford University, Laron A. Martin said.
However, Martin said that he does not expect a “smoking gun that would finally say,” See, it is 100% evidence that the FBI was involved in the murder. “
Martin said, “We have to look at these documents with suspicion as the FBI was ready to go to the extent to try to discredit him,” Martin said.
Why now?
Regarding record release, Trump’s order stated that it is in “national interest” to release records.
“His family and American people deserve transparency and truth,” the order said.
However, time has raised doubts from some observers.
Jones questioned why the American public could not see these documents long ago.
“Why were he sealed on national security, if the killers were in jail outside Nashville?” He said.
Jones said that there are scholars who think that a record release is a “PR stunt” by a presidential administration that “rewriting, abandoning the progress of some people who are bound to color, or people of diversity.”
Pentagon Have to face questions Removal of military heroes from MPs and citizens and then historical mentions from the Defense Department websites and social media pages Purified online ingredients promoting women or minoritiesIn response, the department restored some posts.
Martin said that Trump’s inspiration could be part of an attempt to raise doubts on government institutions.
“This may be an opportunity for the Trump administration to say,” see, FBI is evil, I am trying to tell you this. That is why I (FBI Director) Kash Patel is placed in the office because he is cleaning the deep situation, “Martin said.
Another factor may have two attempts on Trump’s life as he was campaigning for another presidential post, and an associate history professor at the University of Memphis, Bryan Quoba, said, “desire to highlight the comprehensive history of American murders”.
He said, “It is still a little confusing because it is not clear that any US President, including Trump, can be harmful to the United States and the United States and its image in the US and abroad,” he said.
Adrian Sainz, Associated Press