King family responds to executive order to declassify assassination files

The family of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. has released a statement on the executive order issued on Thursday, Jan 23, to declassify files associated with his assassination.

Executive order to Declassify Martin Luther King Jr assassination files

According to the order, the director of national intelligence and the attorney general must have a plan ready to present in 15 days to declassify will have 45 days to “review records related to the assassinations of Senator Robert F. Kennedy and the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and present a plan to the President for the full and complete release of these records.”

The family of Dr. King released the following statement:

“Today, our family has learned that President Trump has ordered the declassification of the remaining records pertaining to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, his brother Robert F. Kennedy, and our father, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

“For us, the assassination of our father is a deeply personal family loss that we have endured over the last 56 years. We hope to be provided the opportunity to review the files as a family prior to its public release,” the family said on X.

Doubts by the family

Dr. King, a revered civil rights leader, was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee.

Over the years, the King family has long expressed doubts about the official account of his assassination, particularly raising questions about the involvement of James Earl Ray, who pleaded guilty but reportedly later reportedly recanted.

King’s family has continued to work toward a comprehensive investigation into the assassination, emphasizing the importance of uncovering the truth while also focusing on preserving the icon’s legacy of justice, equality, and nonviolence, FOX Atlanta reported.