Dr. King’s Killer to Get January Parole Hearing
James Earl Ray, serving 99 years in prison for the 1968 assassination of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., has been granted a parole hearing in January.
Ray, 60, pleaded guilty to shooting King with a rifle in Memphis. He said he avoided a trial to escape a possible death penalty but now wants the case heard by a jury.
Ray became eligible for parole in November, Gretchen Faulstich, a member of the Parole Board, said. The hearing was continued until January, pending psychological and prison-record evaluations.
Ray was identified from fingerprints on a rifle, found near the Lorraine Motel, where King was killed as he stood on a balcony.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
