Burden of Proof: The Case Against James Earl Ray
August 15, 2025 – August 2026
When Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968, the evidence led to escaped convict James Earl Ray. The small-time crook managed to make it out of the country in the days after Dr. King’s death and evaded authorities for almost two months before being apprehended at London’s Heathrow Airport. Following his extradition back to the United States, Ray pled guilty to the assassination and was sentenced to 99 years in prison without a trial. Just days later, he recanted his plea, and he would spend the rest of his life trying to prove his innocence.
Throughout Ray’s appeals process, an abundance of theories about Dr. King’s assassination surfaced. It is thought by many, including the King family, that Ray was the scapegoat of a larger conspiracy. The discovery that the FBI had conducted illegal surveillance operations on Dr. King further fueled the theory that Ray was a patsy for powerful government institutions. In this exhibit, we will explore the investigations into the 1968 assassination, James Earl Ray’s fight for a trial, and the role Dr. King’s family played in trying to answer the question of who killed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
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Alcatraz East hosts temporary exhibits, in partnership with outside organizations, related to crime and law enforcement topics.
If your organization is interested in proposing a temporary exhibit, please email .