Muncie Times, Muncie, Delaware County, 16 April 1998 — Page 2

The Muncie Times, April 16,1998, Page 2

••••••••••••••••• EDITORIAL Let’s re-open the King assassination case

As we observe the 30th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., it is unfortunate that questions linger— and even fester—about what happened on that April 4, 1968, when he was felled by a bullet on a motel balcony in Memphis, Tenn. There have been conflicting reports about who the assassin was, who financed the plot and who else was involved. In the initial aftermath of the killing, there was a mixture of shock, anger, disbelief and violence. A man

who had emerged as one of the country’s foremost advocates of nonviolence in the search for racial, economic, social and political equality had himself fallen victim to violence. After an investigation involving federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, James Earl Ray was fingered as the trigger man. A manhunt ensued and Ray was eventually arrested and brought back to Memphis for trial. He pleaded guilty to the heinous crime and was sent to prison.

Ray’s arrest and sentencing should have solved the crime and brought closure to the assassination. That has not happened. Too many people refused to believe that P ay, at best a petty criminal, had the smarts and skills to undertake the commission of such a crime. They believed that there was a conspiracy to eliminate Dr. King and that Ray, at best would have been nothing more than a dupe. Many years have passed since that day when Dr. King was removed from this mortal world. But the questions refuse to go away. Adding fuel to that has been the fact that Ray himself has recanted his confession. Members of the King family, led by Coretta Scott King, the slain civil rights leader’s widow, recently met with U. S. Attorney General Janet Reno to push for a new investigation into the assassination. Last month, an FBI

agent claimed to have kept evidence linked to the King assassination. Until there is a comprehensive and conclusive investigation, there will always be questions about how Dr. King died, who pulled the trigger, who financed the constpiracy, what did the FB1 and other law enforcement agencies know about the killing? There are many questions that need answers regarding what happened that fateful day in Memphis and who knew what was going to go down. It is in the interests of the King family, the civil rights movement, African Americans, whites, journalists, the U. S. Congress, the White House to re-open this case. There are too many unanswered questions. Before people can go on with their lives they need to know definitely what happened in Memphis. Who gave

the orders that Dr. King should be eliminated? Why did he have to die when he was still young and still had so much more to give to this country. James Earl Ray may have pulled the trigger. But it is hard to fathom that he hatched the plot on his own. There are shadowy figures in the background. Ray is dying. It is important that we should get on the record what he did, what he knows, who else knew about the plot. Once Ray is silenced by death, we may never know the truth in this convoluted matter. If we do not hear soon from Ray, he may take the secrets to his grave. That should not happen. The shadowy figures lurking in the background, who have not talked all these years are not likely to become loquacious now. To get to the bottom of this mystery, it is important to re-open the investigation so we can learn what really happened. We hope Attorney General Reno will see fit to authorize a new investigation and thereby help bring closure to this matter. There are many of us who want to know what really happened. We are not vindictive. We are not punitive. We just want answers, as do so many other African Americans. Surely, that is not asking too much from the White House, the U. S. Justice Department and from the U.S. Congress. We have already waited far too long in trying to get answers to these questions. The Muncie Times i mail subscription rates are $15.00 annually.

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