[Martin Luther King, Jr.] James Earl Ray Autograph Letter Signed Plus Signed Copy of "Tennessee Waltz" by James Earl Ray: Letter on Ray's Brushy Mountain Prison Letterhead, but From Tennessee State Penitentiary, Nashville, November 1991

1991. [Martin Luther King, Jr.] James Earl Ray Autograph Letter Signed on Ray's Brushy Mountain Prison Letterhead, but from Tennessee State Penitentiary, Nashville, November 1991

Single page 8.5 x 11-inch cream colored paper with black printed text at head and foot. Verso is blank. Fine Condition. The book, "Tennessee Waltz" is in fine condition as is the unclipped dust jacket. Faint blue line on bottom edge of book. Tipped in signed bookplate. Ray was not allowed to sign actual books.

James Earl Ray (1928-98) was convicted of shooting and killing Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968, as the Civil Rights leader stood on the second-floor balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. Ray fled to England where he was quickly captured and extradited to the United States. He confessed to the assassination, by which he avoided a jury trial and possible death penalty and was sentenced to 99 years in prison. He later recanted his confession. Further investigations came to the conclusion that Ray had acted alone in carrying out the assassination.

This letter, to an unknown recipient, presents evidence (according to Ray) of a high-level government conspiracy in the murder of Dr. King. "...we have found conclusively that the person who orchestrated the King murder was one, Cartha D. Deloch, the number three in command of the F.B.I. in 1968. Deloch was also F.B.I. liaison to Pres. L.B. Johnson in 1968; and he was also F.B.I. liaison to Roy Wilkins the executive director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in 1968."

Written on personal letterhead of Ray's printed when he was incarcerated at the Brushy Mountain Prison in Petros, Tennessee. By the time he wrote this letter he had been moved to the Tennessee State Penitentiary in Nashville. The footer notes Ray's 1987 book, "Tennessee Waltz: The Making of a Political Prisoner" in which he furthers his claim that he was the victim of a massive conspiracy.

A signed (on bookplate) copy of "Tennessee Waltz: The Making of a Political Prisoner" included with the letter. Plus 8 x 10 black and white photograph of Ray in police custody.

An authentic letter from the perpetrator of one of the most tragic and memorable assassinations in American history.