MEMPHIS — 1968 · Murder
The Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
On 4 April 1968, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. (39) was shot and killed on the balcony of the motel where he was staying in Memphis. Suspect James Earl Ray was apprehended two months later in London; in 1969 he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 99 years in prison, but shortly afterward withdrew his confession and sought a trial. That request was denied, and Ray died in prison in 1998. In 1979, the U.S. House Select Committee on Assassinations confirmed that Ray was the gunman but expressed the view that a conspiracy could not be ruled out; this assessment later remained a matter of dispute. This record conveys only the official findings.
- Date
- 1968
- Place
- Tennessee, USA, Memphis, US
- Category
- Murder
- Case Status
- Solved
- Coordinates
- 35.1345, -90.0576 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 1968The assassination took place (April 4)
- 1968The suspect was apprehended in London (June)
- 1969The defendant pleaded guilty: 99 years in prison
- 1979The House Select Committee on Assassinations released its report
Sources
- Court Records
- Official Report
- Contemporary Press Archive
Source grade C: no linked source yet; details rely on the general press archive. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.