"We positioned at rooftop ascent across Lorraine Motel about 1300 hours 4 April. Don't know why or how intel came in. At brief, 0430, reminded Doctor King was the leader of a movement to destroy American government and stop the war. We were shown CR, close range photos, of King and [Andrew] Young. Don't remember anyone worrying about killing those sacks of shit… I thought Team 1 had fired early. I guess I still think they may have. After that day, I only saw Captain XXX twice more, and both times, he refused to talk to me about what happened … I remember thinking it was an army sniper shot. It surprised me later when I heard it was some wacko civilian that had done it. Whoever fired that shot was a professional. Even from three hundred meters, there's no way just anyone could make that shot."

Of course, Pepper's findings are problematic in that he is in no way an "independent" researcher. He was an associate (and deep admirer) of King, who went on to become Ray's attorney. If anyone would benefit from a larger conspiracy it would be his client. And in some ways this detracts from the book's power. He refers to Ray by his first name, and doesn't present the state's evidence until the end of the book when the reader has already been bombarded with his argument. This makes it very hard for readers to come to their own conclusions. Pepper is also no Scott Turrow, and the book is often repetitive and convoluted.