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Bill Pepper's petition to reopen the case against Ray lands in the courtroom of Judge Joe Brown, a firearms expert, who has his doubts that the rifle found on the street was murder weapon.
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02/07/22 • 40 min
3 Listeners
The MLK Tapes - The Death Slug [6]
Transcript Summary
In the podcast episode titled "The Death Slug [6]", MLK Tapes delves into the assassinations that occurred in Memphis, including those of Emmett Till, Medgar Evers, and civil rights workers. Memphis had a dark reputation for organized killings, making it a prime location for such acts. The show explores the alleged plan to murder Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in this city. Judge Joe Brown, a black judge in Memphis, shares his experiences and sheds light on the racial atmosphere during that time. Brown raises doubts about whether James Earl Ray's rifle was indeed the murder weapon in King's assassination, as the FBI couldn't match the bullet pulled from King's body to the rifle. Autopsy photos, testimonies, and the condition of the bullet fragments presented as evidence raise concerns of mishandling or tampering. The discrepancy in the bullet evidence may have been a motive to pressure Ray to plead guilty instead of facing trial. Judge Brown allowed evidence presentation in a post-conviction relief proceeding, leading to retesting of the rifle. However, concerns about altering the rifle's markings halted further testing. The podcast doesn't have specific endorsement from the King family or the King estate, but raises intriguing questions about the handling of evidence and the possible innocence of James Earl Ray.
Transcript
Welcome to the MLK Tapes, a production of I Heart Radio and Tenderfoot TV. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the podcast author or individuals participating in the podcast, and do not represent those of I Heart Media, Tenderfoot TV, or their employees. Listener discretion is advised to understand the context of this killing. You should understand that Emmett Till, Medgar Evers, for civil rights workers who were
The Death Slug [6] Top Questions Answered
How are firearms tested for murder weapon identification?
Firearms for murder weapon identification are tested by comparing bullet markings.
What rifle was considered as evidence in the murder case?
The seven sixty game master rifle was considered as evidence in the murder case.
Who presided over the lawsuits seeking to reopen the case against James Earl Ray?
Judge Brown presided over the lawsuits seeking to reopen the case against James Earl Ray.
What prevented a test firing of the rifle initially?
The Court of Appeals initially prevented a test firing of the rifle.
What showed a different rate of rifling twist than Ray's rifle?
The death slug fragments put under a microscope showed a different rate of rifling twist than Ray's rifle.
What incidents did Judge Brown face possibly related to his handling of the case?
Judge Brown faced incidents like a break-in and an attempted drug planting possibly related to his handling of the case.
Was the death slug conclusively determined to be fired from Ray's rifle?
No, after a test firing, it was suggested that the death slug was not fired from Ray's rifle, but further tests were inconclusive.
Why was there a request for another test after cleaning the rifle?
The authorities were concerned that cleaning the rifle might alter the bullet markings, so there was a request for another test after cleaning.
Did the FBI match the death slug to Ray's rifle?
No, the FBI could not match the death slug to Ray's rifle, but it was commonly believed at the time that a match had been made.
What were the concerns regarding Ray's guilty plea?
Ray might have been pressured to plead guilty to prevent conflicts in the evidence from being exposed in a trial.
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