ATLANTA – The family of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is reacting to an executive order issued on Thursday to declassify documents associated with his assassination.
President Donald Trump also ordered similar files related to the deaths of former President John F. Kennedy and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy to be declassified.
Declassifying JFK, RFK, and MLK Jr. assassinations
The backstory:
The order states that the director of national intelligence and the attorney general must have a plan ready to present in 15 days to declassify the remaining JFK assassination records and will have 45 days to “review records related to the assassinations of Senator Robert F. Kennedy and the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and present a plan to the President for the full and complete release of these records.”
King family on assassination files being declassified
What they’re saying:
The family of Dr. King released the following statement on Thursday evening:
“Today, our family has learned that President Trump has ordered the declassification of the remaining records pertaining to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, his brother Robert F. Kennedy, and our father, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
“For us, the assassination of our father is a deeply personal family loss that we have endured over the last 56 years. We hope to be provided the opportunity to review the files as a family prior to its public release.”
Doubts about MLK’s assassination investigation
Dig deeper:
The family of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. has long expressed doubts about the official account of his assassination, urging for a more thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death. Dr. King, a prominent civil rights leader, was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee.
Over the years, the King family has raised questions about the involvement of James Earl Ray, the man convicted of the murder. They have suggested that Ray, who pleaded guilty but later recanted, may have been part of a larger conspiracy involving multiple parties, including governmental agencies.
In a significant development in 1999, the King family won a civil trial against Loyd Jowers, a Memphis restaurant owner who claimed he was part of a conspiracy to kill Dr. King. The jury in the trial concluded that there was indeed a conspiracy, lending credence to the family’s long-held suspicions.
Despite the passage of time, the King family continues to advocate for a comprehensive investigation into the assassination. They emphasize the importance of uncovering the truth while also focusing on preserving Dr. King’s legacy of justice, equality, and nonviolence.
The Source: The King family provided the latest statement. The FOX TV Digital Team contributed the background to this article. Previous FOX 5 Atlanta reporting was also used.
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