(HQ 44-38861-3483). In the Chicago area wnere Jerry Ray was living, the Bureau discovered that James Ray had purchased a car on June 5, 1967 (Chicago, 44-1114 Sub D Ex. 85) and had worked in Wimetka, Illinois. Ray's employers also told Bureau agents. that James Ray had received several calls fran a man claiming to be Ray's brother immediately prior to James' departure from his ‘job. They stated that these calls had a visibly disturbing effect on James Ray (Chicago 44-1114 Sub G-37). Jerry Raynes, father of the Ray brothers, told the FBI that he overheard John and Jerry mention that James had been in Chicago during the summer of 1967 (Chicago 44-1114-508). Third, in California, the FBI discovered two facts which pointed toward possible contact between James Ray and his brothers. Richard Gonzales who was a fellow student with Ray at the bartending school in Los Angeles told Bureau agents that Ray had told him upon completion of the course that he (Ray) was going to visit a brother in Birminghan for two weeks (HQ 44-38861-1233). The FBI also interviewed Marie Martin, cousin of Charles Stein. She stated that for some time before March 17, 1968, (the date when Ray left Los Angeles) James Ray had been stating that he was in need of funds and was waiting for his brother to send him some money. -103- i ) WW o55509 Docld:321995278 Page 112
O O Fourth, through an informant the Bureau discovered that Jerry Ray may not have been entirely candid with the Special agents during his several interviews. The informant disclosed to Bureau agents an June 7, 1968, that Jerry Ray stated he had seen his brother (James) at least once at a pre-arranged meeting place in St. Louis shortly after his escape. Jerry also allegedly stated to the informant that he had recognized the photograph of Eric Starvo Galt as being identical with his brother James prior to the time the FBI had first contacted him in. connection with the assassination. He did not want to tell the FBI everything he knew out of fear that James would be caught. (HQ 44-38861- Correspondence recovered by the Bureau indicated that Jerry may have heard from James in Canada in June of 1968 (HQ 44-38861-4517 and 4518). James Ray was in Canada Selina during April and May of 1968 prior to his departure for London on May 7, 1968 (HQ 44-38861-4595). It is also noted ! that Jerry had earlier told agents that he had received mail from James, while James was in prison, at Post Office Box 22 -104- HW 55509 DBocld:32199526 Page 113
Co O wheeling, Illinois (Chicago 44-114 Sud G-26). Finally, in November, 1968 it became clear that James Ray had been in touch with his brother Jerry. Illinois motor vehicle records showed that on August 25, 1967 James Ray (using the name of John L. Rayns) transferred his 1962 Plymouth to Jerzy (HQ 44-38861-5413). This was during the period when James Ray was making his way from canada to Bimmingham, Alabama. It has continued to be a mystery as to why Ray went to Alabama, how he traveled there, and where he obtained the several thousand dollars he had when he arrived. | . . Thus, at least one family member, Jerry, had lied to the FBI and had become subject to federal criminal charges for aiding a fugitive. He was never confronted with these facts by the Bureau. In the task force interview of Jerry Ray, he confirmed the fact that he had lied to the Bureau and had seen his brother James on several occasions. */ Jerry denied knowing anything about James' travels or his source of funds (Interview of Jerry Ray, December 20, 1976, App. B). However, the task force found the credibility of Jerry's */ he task force attempted to talk to James and John Ray but an interview was refused in both instances. ~-105- HW 55509 DBocld:321995276 Page 114
on © cenials to be suspect. In light of this low credibilicy and critical passage of time which has allowed the statute. | a wP of limitations to Tun, we concluded that the FBI abandoned” = a significant opportunity to obtain answers fran family members concerning some of the important questions about James Earl Ray which still remain. D. Critical Evaluation Of The Assassination: Investi ation ——— en et the Assassination: Investigation As this report reflects, there was a wealth of information in the files developed by the FBI murder investigation. We have been able to dig up some additional data. Only a small part of any of this information has been made a matter of any official public record. Some of it was embodied in the stipulation agreed to by James Earl | Ray and judicially acknowledged in open court by him (with a stated reservation as to agreeing to the wording indicating a lack of a conspiracy). Some emerged in Ray's post-conviction efforts to get a new trial. A quantity of the “official” evidentiary data and a great deal of mis- information was gleaned by the news media and by professional writers. It is understandable therefore that many suspicions have been generated and, because of Justice Department rules against disclosures of raw investigative files, have gone mangwered. First, the task force has ‘concluded that the investi- gation by the FBI to ascertain and capture the murderer of -106- HW 55509 DBocld:321995276 Page 115 ft
O O Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was thoroughly, honestly and successfully conducted. We submit that the mimute details compacted in this report amply support this con- clusion. | At the very outset of the investigation telegrams went to all field offices of the Bureau instructing the Special Agents in Charge to take personal supervision of the investigation, to check out all leads in 24 hours, and noting that they would be held personally responsible. (HQ 44i-38861-153). ‘The files we reviewed show that this directive was conscientiously followed. The Bureau sought first to identify and locate the murderer using the obvious leads. They checked out aliases, tracked the traces left under the Galt alias, and used the know fingerprints from the murder weapon and the contents of the blue zipper bag left on South Main Street to eliminate suspects. This backtracking ended in Atlanta. At this point the Bureau initiated a check of the crime site fingerprints against the white male "wanted fugitive" print file. This produced the almost "instant" discovery that the wanted man, Galt, was James Earl Ray, an escapee from Missouri State Prison. In fact the "instant" discovery was a tedious hand search started in a file of some 20,000 prints. That it took only two hours to make a match is said by the Bureau experts to f HW 55509 Docld:32199528 Page 116