In a new book, "An Act of State" (Verso 2003), this week's Guerrilla Pepper lays out a considerable amount of evidence to the contrary. In fact, it would be quite a trick to read this book and not walk away believing that Ray was set up, and that MLK was the victim of a dark, high-reaching conspiracy that involved the FBI, CIA, U.S. Army, and a motley assortment of underworld characters reminiscent of the JFK operation.
Pepper's story is essentially this: MLK was targeted by a group of southern mobsters and local law enforcement officials with close ties to some of the darkest elements of the U.S. military and its intelligence agencies. Ray was the patsy, framed by the Memphis police, who tampered with evidence and failed to do even the most basic investigation after the shooting. On the day of, U.S. Army snipers were in place on a rooftop near the Lorraine Motel, serving as a backup in case the hit failed. Another Army team was nearby photographing the events to make sure they captured on film anyone who might have "seen something". Armed black activists ostensibly there to help protect King, were told to leave just before the killing, as were black police officers and firefighters scheduled to be on duty nearby. The actual shooter, Pepper claims, was most likely an off-duty Memphis police officer, who was ID'd by Loyd Jowers, one of the key conspirators who was on the scene and helped dispose of the murder weapon.
Pepper's story is essentially this: MLK was targeted by a group of southern mobsters and local law enforcement officials with close ties to some of the darkest elements of the U.S. military and its intelligence agencies. Ray was the patsy, framed by the Memphis police, who tampered with evidence and failed to do even the most basic investigation after the shooting. On the day of, U.S. Army snipers were in place on a rooftop near the Lorraine Motel, serving as a backup in case the hit failed. Another Army team was nearby photographing the events to make sure they captured on film anyone who might have "seen something". Armed black activists ostensibly there to help protect King, were told to leave just before the killing, as were black police officers and firefighters scheduled to be on duty nearby. The actual shooter, Pepper claims, was most likely an off-duty Memphis police officer, who was ID'd by Loyd Jowers, one of the key conspirators who was on the scene and helped dispose of the murder weapon.