(Haunt Clipping is Spec.' 841*w) lifies. King'-Challenges, Groups Furthei: (Indicate page, name of . newspaper, city and state.)

?robe Husband'i_ Ric_ St. Louis Argus , St. Louis, Playing, ti Meanwhile the ail Attorney General Griffin Et BY LILYANN J. MITCHELL 11 Bell has told the press he uk- Apparently disillusione urious about the "gaps" in the Martin Luther King Jr. • and still firmly convinced that her late husband's brutal slaying case, and said he murder on April 4, 1968 in would like to conduct a Memphis, Tenn. was the plot "personal" probe into the of a well planned conspiracy, assassination of the late civil rights leader. Mrs. said of the recent committee's is presently report that. James Earl Ray serving a 99-year state prison • term in Tennessee for King's acted alone: Date: 3/3/77 "I have no knowledge as to ..murder, but the convicted Edition: how comprehensive this re- inmate claims he is taking the Author: full rap in a conspiracy to„,, port was_ Therefore, I can Editor: criurder Dr. King. His appeals/11 draw no • firm conclusion. I Title: ibr a hearing to re-open the would still like for some Nckse have been denied. agency, group or organization ••■11..• •.1..". to research and disclose what 411.14a.4 Character. AA= 7 5 the task force was doing and or ,a7...rt 7' how it was conducting this Classification: SL investigation, so that others Submitting Office: may judge for themselves 0 Being Investigated how the Justice Department conducted. their investigation . .,_ ;•r1/4 /ifs 7 7 f 4 - and in what manner they •-,--,7.4.CHED 1110(X1(3,(____ drew up their conclusions," ..ilTIMIZED Wars-- pirs. King stated from a (prepared press statement • tis MAR 4 1977 Mlle ARGUS from her office it , Atlanta. • 41 118/-ST. LOTW

- -1 officials responsible for the an interview that he mill harassment are dead or re- another Black officer, W.11 tired, but proposed outright Richmond. were the only. prohibition of COINTELPRO- detectives assigned to police type activities against detail on April 4, 1968. He domestic intelligence stated that when police subject." officials in Memphis learned Dr. King's widow, his of the many threats against father, the Rev. Martin Dr. King's life they "slashed Luther King Sr., other family security from 10 men to two members and civil rights men, instead of beefing it up. leaders have called the latest "When Dr. King was report from the house com- murdered I was miles away - mittee "unacceptable" to and another officer on duty them. with me that day (W. B. Shortly after this re-inves- Richmond) was missing from tigation into the King slaying the scene," Redditt said. officially opened, it was re- Redditt said despite his ported by the media that protests that he had a job to MRS. CORETTA KING numerous documents perti, do, he was ordered home and neat to the King slaying case Holloman (then the director A special report from the were missing from the of the Memphis Police and . De government's file. Fire Department) called in 1 partment of Justice to the media this week reads in Last week human rights two burly police officers to part: activist Dick Gregory, escort him there and start' The purpose of the study announced that he will guard over him. was to examine FBI activities resume his hunger fast until a Redditt further stated that involving Dr. King and to "thorough and true" investi- it appeared, "as if the guards evaluate the effectiveness of gation into Dr. King's slaying were trying to keep me in the the assassination investiga- is initiated - which should house, rather than protect tion. "The report concluded include the necessary FBI and me." that the FBI had conducted a other legal government and Attorney General Bell said painstaking and successful official documents on the at a recent news conference, investigation of the 1968 King case. although the report found no assassination in Memphis, In addition to this, the U.S. evidence of FBI involvement Tenn. The task force also District Judge has in the 1968 murder case of found no evidence of FBI ordered the FBI to file with Dr. King, the case was not complicity in the murder," the National Archives all of closed for the Justice Depart- the statement to the ARGUS its tapes and documents ment. growing out of buggings and said. He said a final decision wi.::. However, the report further wiretaps of Dr. King. Accord- be made when the House stated, "The FBI's ing to the judge's previous 1 COINTELPRO - type harass- records, these materials could Select Committee completes . , ment of Dr. King and riot be made available to the its investigation 9f the killings Hof- both Dr._ Faig and Pre- efforts to drive him out of the public for at least 50 years' 3fdent John F. Kennedy. were except by court order. found to have been clearly A couple of months ago, Ed Of a possiblel•- meting with improper. The task force re- Redditt, an ex-police Ray, Bell stated: "I'd either commended no disciplinary detective in Memphis told the go or send someone in whord action because the chief FBI National Inquirer Magazine in I have absolute confidence."

• • •