Martin Luther King Assassination

The Assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Local newspapers mocked King when he announced he was coming back to Memphis for a second round. Among other snipes and barbs, the local press criticized him for staying at a white-owned Holiday Inn, instead of the Motel Lorraine, which was black-owned. (The Assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: An Overview by: Charles Overbeck PG 2) Hoping to avoid further antagonistic press in wake of the disastrous March 28 demonstration, Not wanting to add to all the hatred that filled the air King switched his accommodations to a room at the Motel Lorraine, where he where this would prove to be a grave mistake on April 4.

One could easily see that changing King's lodging to this particular motel was a bad mistake. The Motel Lorraine was located in a fairly seedy part of town. The day before King arrived, someone claiming to be an advance security man dropped by the Lorraine Hotel and changed King's reservation from a ground-floor room to a second-floor balcony room, saying, "Dr. King always likes to have a room on the second floor overlooking the swimming pool." The new room was in the rear of the building, the balcony wide open to sniper fire with no cover whatsoever, and James Earl Ray the man who took great care and secrecy in planning all the events that would take place on April 4, had easy access to his target.

It was a glorious April 4th evening as Martin Luther King and hundreds of followers were gathering for a civil rights march. Many cheered on as the civil rights leader graciously out step on the second floor balcony of the Motel Lorraine. Roaring cheers rose from the crowd rose up as Martin Luther King stand there waving his arm with his heart warming smile waiting for the uprising taper off so he can continue with his speech. When suddenly a piercing blast broke the noise and the crowd's cheerful spirit died. A cold chill went through all who were present fore in the back of their minds there was no doubt that their King had just been shot.

"Life was so much more simple living back home in Atlanta". He said as he lay on the cold cement of the balcony he struggled for his life and in the midst of all his pain he felt the all the hatred being lifted from him, and he though about his life. Then he started to remember all the he had accomplished in his life, all the lives him had affected, and he thought to himself "Yes, it was the right one", and he was at peace with himself, he wasn't angry at who ever had done this to him he just felt sorry for the individual.

As soon as King fell, an aide, believed to be Marrell McCullough, pointed to the bathroom window of Bessie Brewer's boarding house. The fingers of others followed him, as recorded in photographs of the assassination. (The Assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: An Overview by: Charles Overbeck PG 2) James Earl Ray is the person who is said to have taken that fatal shot from the boarding house bathroom.

James Earl Ray carefully planned out his shot, where he would get the best possible shot, the way he would leave the scene, and how he would be able to pull of the difficult shot. Ray had contorted himself into position around the bathtub in the boarding house in order to make the kill shot. To escape the crime scene Ray had to exit the sniper's nest, go to his room to collect his belongings and wrap and tie it all in a bundle, leave his room, run down the stairs and out of the boarding house, stash the bundle next door, and then get away from the scene unnoticed. All of this would have worked if Ray's bag would not have been found, and one witness would have not claimed to see him leave the boarding house.

Martin Luther King Jr.'s life was dedicated to the equality of humankind, and once word had spread about his untimely death many races gathered together to morn the loss of a great philosopher and leader. In a speech senator Robert F. Kennedy said I have bad news for you, for all of our fellow citizens, and people who love peace all over the world, and that is that Martin Luther King was shot and killed tonight. Martin Luther King dedicated his life to love and to justice for his fellow human beings, and he died because of that effort. (Robert F. Kennedy)

Just what exactly happened on April 4th, 1968 at 6:01PM? Just how many sides does this story have? The events surrounding Martin Luther King's death remain controversial to this day, after more than 30 years after the fact. The accepted story is James Earl Ray was the assassin however; there are many contradictions to that conclusion. One must come to realize the accepted story is wrong, a cover up has deceived the public for over 30 years, James Earl Ray did not kill Martin Luther King; Martin Luther King was assassinated by a government conspiracy.

To clarify the fact James Earl Ray is not an assassin one must look toward his reputation. James Earl Ray was born into a poor family and was the first of nine children. Being that some of his childhood was during the depression he probably was the type to fight for his own well being. In January of 1946 Ray joined the army. (Clarke 243) While in the army Ray sold cigarettes, drank, fought, and he was eventually discharged. From 1949-1959 Ray did many robberies and when, in 1959, he was finally caught he was sentenced to 20 years in prison (Clarke 244) Ray Later attempted escape in 1960, in 1966, and was successful on April 23rd, 1967. (Clarke 245) Ray, during this time never showed any serious acts of threatening or hurting anyone. (Clarke 244) So why would Ray suddenly turn into assassin and kill someone who has a slim effect on him?

Perhaps the reason authorities were so irritated by Martin Luther King's protests would be on the account of the fact he does nothing wrong. "His efforts successfully merged the anti-Vietnam war movement and the civil rights movement, and the awful reality of the black situation in America could no longer be hidden behind the white curtain." (Overbeck 11/17/00) King got many of the blacks to boycott the buses, go on civil rights marches, and to vote, which brought about a change in respect and right for blacks. (Lindop83) This got authorities very annoyed at King because they did not want change and King protest did it constitutionally legal. As a result police started arresting King for trivial reasons such as doing 30mph in a 25 zone, sitting in white places, civil rights marches, boycotting the busses etceteras. In all he went to jail over 30 times. (Lindop 82) It didn't stop there the FBI or at least the head of the FBI, Jay Edgar Hoover, even hated King. "Nobody hated Martin Luther King more than J. Edgar Hoover" (Clarke 255) "King was well aware that