James Earl Ray
James Earl Ray (March 10, 1928 – April 23, 1998) was the man who was convicted of murdering Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr on April 4, 1968.[1] He was sentenced to 99 years in prison.[2][3]
| James Earl Ray | |
|---|---|
 Mug shot of Ray taken in 1955 | |
| Born | March 10, 1928 Alton, Illinois, United States |
| Died | April 23, 1998 (aged 70) Nashville, Tennessee, United States |
| Conviction(s) | Murder, prison escape armed robbery, burglary |
| Penalty | 99 years imprisonment (one year was added after his re-capture for a total of 100 years) |
| Spouse | Anna Sandhu
(m. 1978; div. 1993) |
| Parents | James Gerald Ray |
At first, Ray said that he had shot King, but later he claimed he hadn't done the crime.[4]
Conspiracy theories
There are multiple conspiracy theories surrounding King's assassination. Some believe that Ray's white supremacist views caused him to kill King.[5][6] Others believe Ray did the crime for his own personal ambition and financial gain.[5][6]
Many other conspiracies state that King's assassination was a government operation, including King's own family.[7] These theories claim that Ray is innocent.[8]
Early life
Ray was born in Alton, Illinois. He was convicted of burglary, robbery, theft and forgery during the 1950s.[3]
He escaped from prison in 1967.[9]
Death
He died in Nashville, Tennessee from liver failure caused by hepatitis C.[2]
James Earl Ray Media
FBI most wanted fugitive poster of James Earl Ray
The Lorraine Motel, now known as the National Civil Rights Museum, where King was shot
Related pages
References
- ↑ 351. James Earl Ray (in en-us). Federal Bureau of Investigation. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 CNN - James Earl Ray, convicted King assassin, dies - April 23, 1998. edition.cnn.com. Retrieved 25 January 2011.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 James Earl Ray | Facts, Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., & Conspiracy Theories | Britannica (in en). www.britannica.com (2025-09-05). Retrieved 2025-10-02.
- ↑ James Earl Ray Attempts to Throw Out His Previous Plea | Assassination and Murder Trials | Explore | Drawing Justice: The Art of Courtroom Illustration | Exhibitions at the Library of Congress | Library of Congress. Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 James Earl Ray, suspect in Martin Luther King Jr. assassination, is arrested | June 8, 1968 (in en). HISTORY (2009-11-24). Retrieved 2025-10-02.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 What We Know About Why James Earl Ray Killed Martin Luther King Jr.. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
- ↑ Little, Becky. Why Martin Luther King’s Family Believes James Earl Ray Was Not His Killer (in en). HISTORY (2018-04-04). Retrieved 2025-10-02.
- ↑ Pepper, William F.. Was James Earl Ray innocent? (in en-US). Salon.com (2017-07-22). Retrieved 2025-10-02.
- ↑ Crime Library
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