MLK Assassination Hearings - Nov. 27, 1978
MLK Assassination Hearings - Nov. 27, 1978
MLK Assassination Hearings - Nov 27, 1978 Testimony of Cartha D. DeLoach, former assistant to the Director, FBI
MLK Assassination Hearings - Nov. 27, 1978
Louis Stokes (D-Ohio). You re not testifying from your own knowledge. Cartha DeLoach, Former Assistant to FBI Director. I will testify to my own knowledge, Mr. Chairman. I don t know whether frankly in my own opinion where Dr. King could be classified as a member of the communist party or not. Louis Stokes (D-Ohio). And with reference to your statement about someone high in the party exerting influence over him, do you have any knowledge of that? Cartha DeLoach, Former Assistant to FBI Director. I recall to the best of my recollection there was such a man, Mr. Chairman. Louis Stokes (D-Ohio). And you tell the committee than how you know this man had influence over Dr. King? Cartha DeLoach, Former Assistant to FBI Director. I was told Mr. Chairman and again I m testifying from facts 10, 11, 12 years ago even beyond that Mr. Chairman. That this man wrote speeches for Dr. King. That this man gave financial advice to Dr. King. That this man made policy decisions for Dr. King and consequently having been told that there certainly would have been some association between this individual and Dr. King. Louis Stokes (D-Ohio). You familiar at all with Dr. King s intellectual and educational attainments? Cartha DeLoach, Former Assistant to FBI Director. I have read some of Dr. King s sermons, Mr. Chairman. From the standpoint of my own knowledge I know that he was a symbol of leadership of the civil rights movement. I have not gone into depth as to Dr. King s intellectual education. No Sir. Louis Stokes (D-Ohio). Well maybe it would help if I said to you Dr. King graduated from Morehouse College with honors. Graduated at the top of his class from Crozer Theological Seminary. And acquired a Doctorate of Philosophy from Boston University. And about what did they do to stop the infiltration of the civil rights movement by the communist party? Cartha DeLoach, Former Assistant to FBI Director. Well I think FBI communications both to the Attorney General and to the White House on occasion caused the Department of Justice to brief civil rights members as to the dangers involved. And to the best of my recollection and I m not clear on this Mr. Chairman, I think that FBI communications to the White House caused White House officials on occasion to brief civil rights leaders to the dangers involved. And in my opinion even on this late date it certainly would have assisted civil rights leaders in knowing who was trying to undermine them, infiltrate them and to cause them to be wearily. I think Mr. Hoover s meeting with Dr. King where Mr. Hoover indicated he should be very careful in his association with certain people assisted Dr. King from then on in being weary of such associations.
MLK Assassination Hearings - Nov. 27, 1978
Louis Stokes (D-Ohio). Then you really feel that a man who had the education and intelligence of Dr. King needed Mr. Hoover or somebody else to tell them about the dangers of the communist party infiltrating the civil rights movement here in America? Cartha DeLoach, Former Assistant to FBI Director. Not necessarily that isolated incident as an example Mr. Chairman. But I do feel that men with equal brilliance over the years have been taken in by the communist party and by communist subversion. I do feel there have been unfortunate incidents in our society where great men of statue have been taken in. Have possibly even become Soviet espionage agents and therefore I say with some gratification that the communist in my opinion failed miserably to take over the civil rights movement to make a dent in the civil rights movement. Louis Stokes (D-Ohio). Mr. DeLoach you are familiar with the conditions existing in this nation that brought about the civil rights movement aren t you? Cartha DeLoach, Former Assistant to FBI Director. Yes sir. Louis Stokes (D-Ohio). You know that at that period of History that all over the south that blacks and whites
MLK Assassination Hearings - Nov. 27, 1978
Lunsford Preyer (D- North Carolina). That there is evidence in which I think the FBI was aware, that seems to cut the other way. Which would seem to show that he was not such an intense racist and that his motive could have been something else? For example, Money. For example, I believe the FBI was aware that he had frequented a bar in Los Angeles for some period of time when he was there. And that that bar was about 1/3rd Black clientele. Apparently he visited there regularly without expressing any racial feelings. There is evidence of a liaison with Ms. Merle in New Mexico and possibly with Ms. Marie Martin in Los Angeles. Both of whom appear to be women of color. My question is did these incidents raise any questions in the minds of the FBI concerning racism as a motive? Do you consider those are consistent with racism as motive for the killing? Cartha DeLoach, Former Assistant to FBI Director. Mr. Preyer I don t remember those specific incidents. But I do remember that Dr. King while in prison according to the investigation to the best of my recollection. (Confers with counsel) I m sorry sir. When James Earl Ray was in prison to the best of my knowledge he refused to go on work orders out on the prison farm with blacks because of his dislike for blacks. And I think also to the best of my knowledge that on occasion he told an inmate in prison that he was going to get Dr. King. He did have a general reputation I believe in prison as being bigoted, anti-black. As to specifically answer your question and I would like to do that sir if I had the knowledge. But I don t recall the specific instance you re mentioning such as frequenting bars with black women or engaging with social activities with black women. I don t recall that sir in my opinion he definitely hated blacks. He definitely was a loner. He was a fumbling yet at the same time a very cunning individual. And I think because he was being a bigot, a racist, he wanted to kill in his opinion the biggest man he could find in order to make a name for himself. AS more or less attested by the fact his brother on one occasion told whether it was FBI agents or not I m not sure. But told someone that I believe it was the FBI but I m not sure. He said why all this fuss. The FBI making all this fuss trying to find my brother. All he did was kill a nigger. This in my opinion expresses the anti-black feeling of not only King but that of his family. Lunsford Preyer (D- North Carolina). Well I have certainly been through that pile of evidence of that somewhat racist attitude. There was evidence from his prison experiences as you mentioned.
MLK Assassination Hearings - Nov. 27, 1978
Cartha DeLoach, Former Assistant to FBI Director. To the committee I think that would be a gross exaggeration in so far as possible loss of interest is concerned. I think and I m not with the FBI today and I haven t been with them for almost nine years. I think the FBI is still interested in this case and will still carry out any leads with respect to any conspiracy. Not only in this case but the Kennedy case or any other case that is perceived of a major nature. To my knowledge that case is still pending in the FBI. It will never be closed as long as leads are still being received. But the fact that a fugitive investigation has been completed certainly would curtail the usage of automobiles. It would curtail to some extent expenditures. But it does not mean the FBI has lost interest in the case. It just means that one phase of the case has been completed and they re still working on other phases of the case, such as a conspiracy angle. Samuel Devine (R- Ohio). But did you while you were still in the Bureau and still in the high supervisory capacity issue any orders or direct any orders from Mr. Hoover to discontinue active participation in the investigation of the King case following the apprehension? Cartha DeLoach, Former Assistant to FBI Director. No Mr. Devine to answer your question I believe that Inspector Sullivan, who was a major case inspector, was called off for other duties following the locating of James Earl Ray because the FBI felt he was the man that had assassinated Dr. King. Whether any other curtailment of activities at that time or not I do not recall. Definitely, the case was still kept in a pending status. Every lead was still investigated very thoroughly. Samuel Devine (R- Ohio). On another issue Mr. DeLoach earlier I think you testified that you had never heard of Agent Murtagh until his appearance before this committee. If I accurately recall some of Mr. Murtagh s testimony he said that he had never met Mr. Hoover personally although he d been in the Bureau for 10 or 11 years.
MLK Assassination Hearings - Nov. 27, 1978
Walter Fauntroy (D- District of Columbia). It became not only unthinkable but had thought to have been justified in the nation. And I wonder if you think the FBI officials should of known that they re conduct not only in writing articles like this and seeing to that they were assimilated around the country could have unjustifiably risked the life of Dr. King? Cartha DeLoach, Former Assistant to FBI Director. What was the last part of your question sir? I m sorry. Walter Fauntroy (D- District of Columbia). Is it your opinion that FBI should have known that the kind of activities to which you refer to in these memos would unjustifiably risk the life of Dr. King? Cartha DeLoach, Former Assistant to FBI Director. Mr. Fauntroy I think it would be absolutely ridiculous to assume that any of the FBI s few attempts to discredit Dr. King as ordered by Mr. Hoover or Sullivan or however participated in that caused an atmosphere which would have resulted in his assassination. I doubt if James Earl Ray had ever seen any of the articles. The one or two or three articles which were put in the newspapers which you ve shown me here today. No one has shown me the articles. I don t even know whether they appeared or not to tell you the truth. But I doubt if James Earl Ray or I doubt if anyone who ever would amount to anything had seen the articles if they did appear had been perpetrated by the FBI or knew of the discretization program to any extent. But consequently in my opinion the fact would overwhelmingly indicate that the FBI did not create any atmosphere which would cause harm to Dr. King from a physical standpoint or from my opinion any other standpoint. Walter Fauntroy (D- District of Columbia). In your testimony Mr. DeLoach you alleged to the fact that over the years the FBI compiled files on death threats directed at Dr. King? Is it fair to say that at that time, this period between 1963 and 1968, that it would not have surprised you that Dr. King received death threats? Cartha DeLoach, Former Assistant to FBI Director. I wouldn t have been surprised sir. I think almost any individual in the public limelight as Dr. King was or any public leader in our society today received death threats.
MLK Assassination Hearings - Nov. 27, 1978
Walter Fauntroy (D- District of Columbia). Well again in view of those death threats in retrospect didn t the release of derogatory and inflammatory information describing as a traitor to the race and the country run the risk of further poisoning the minds of people who might violently oppose what Dr. King stood for? Cartha DeLoach, Former Assistant to FBI Director. Well again sir I was not on the investigative side of the house at the time that language was used. Frankly, I m not aware of the fact that such language was ever given out from a public standpoint. That appeared to be Mr. Sullivan s usage of inflammatory language whether it was given out or not I m not aware of that fact Mr. Fauntroy. Walter Fauntroy (D- District of Columbia). I just read to you and you have before you the Martin Luther King Exhibit 450A. Cartha DeLoach, Former Assistant to FBI Director. That is correct sir. Walter Fauntroy (D- District of Columbia). Which has to do with the Houston article? Where you not? Cartha DeLoach, Former Assistant to FBI Director. I don t recall the article sir. Walter Fauntroy (D- District of Columbia). You don t recall? Cartha DeLoach, Former Assistant to FBI Director. No sir. Walter Fauntroy (D- District of Columbia). You don t deny the FBI did that do you? Cartha DeLoach, Former Assistant to FBI Director. I don t deny that Mr. Sullivan and Mr. Brenann made this request and that Mr. Hoover ordered it to be done. Walter Fauntroy (D- District of Columbia). Is that your initial at the end of that memo? Cartha DeLoach, Former Assistant to FBI Director. It is sir. Yes sir. The active flow of mail went through my office and then on to Mr. Tolson and then onto Mr. Hoover. And in these particular cases Mr. Hoover indicated that anything pertaining to this matter he should see personally. Walter Fauntroy (D- District of Columbia). So you didn t read this? Cartha DeLoach, Former Assistant to FBI Director. I beg pardon. Walter Fauntroy (D- District of Columbia). You didn t read this. Cartha DeLoach, Former Assistant to FBI Director. I did not read it. Walter Fauntroy (D- District of Columbia). What does your signature mean? Cartha DeLoach, Former Assistant to FBI Director. My signature. Walter Fauntroy (D- District of Columbia). I mean your initials? Cartha DeLoach, Former Assistant to FBI Director. My initials mean that this particular piece of mail was received in my office and I read it and sent it over to Mr. Tolson s office approximately 11 and a half years ago. Walter Fauntroy (D- District of Columbia). And it doesn t mean approval? Cartha DeLoach, Former Assistant to FBI Director. It means that I thought Mr. Hoover should see this piece of mail. That was my duty to weed out mail that he should not see and to approve and send it on my own or else send it on to him for final approval? Walter Fauntroy (D- District of Columbia). So Finally Mr. Chairman I appreciate to the extent in which you ve allowed me to go on. In your view the FBI was not sensitive to the possible implications of the derogatory information it attempted to dissimulate around the country about Dr. King as a traitor to the race and to the nation for his own life? Cartha DeLoach, Former Assistant to FBI Director. No Mr. Fauntroy I simply stated this that the few attempts on the part of the FBI to discredit Dr. King as ordered by Mr. Hoover do not result in my opinion an atmosphere which would of caused physical harm to Dr. King. Abrupt End of Tape