The Trump administration on Monday released a trove of documents related to the April 1968 assassination of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr.
“Today, after nearly 60 years of questions surrounding the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we are releasing 230,000 MLK assassination files,” Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard wrote on X.
Gabbard noted that the documents, released in partnership with the Justice Department, Central Intelligence Agency, National Archives and the FBI, detail the federal investigation into the shooting at Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tenn., which resulted in 39-year-old King’s death.
Information about convicted assassin James Earl Ray’s discussion with a former cellmate about an alleged assassination plot and potential leads the FBI explored after the shooting are included in the documents, according to the director of national intelligence.
“The American people have waited nearly sixty years to see the full scope of the federal government’s investigation into Dr. King’s assassination,” Gabbard said. “Under President Trump’s leadership, we are ensuring that no stone is left unturned in our mission to deliver complete transparency on this pivotal and tragic event in our nation’s history.”
“I extend my deepest appreciation to the King family for their support.”
The release comes after President Trump signed an executive order in January ordering the declassification of records concerning the assassinations of King, former President John F. Kennedy and former Sen. Robert F. Kennedy.
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