Martin Luther King Jr. News Article Collection of the Bullet and Rifle Test

University Archives and Special Collections
15 Lippitt Road
Kingston, RI 02881-2011
Tel: 401-874-4632

email: archives@etal.uri.edu

Published in 2003

Collection Overview

Title:	Martin Luther King Jr. Assassination Bullet and Rifle Test News Article Collection
Date range:	1996-2003
Creator:	University of Rhode Island. Dept. of Communications and News Bureau
Extent:	2 box(es) (1 linear foot)
Abstract:	This collection contains over 1,400 news articles and one video tape regarding the Martin Luther King Jr. bullet testing at the University of Rhode Island in May 1977.
Language of materials:	English
Repository:	University Archives and Special Collections
Collection number:	Mss. Gr. 166

Scope & content

Series 1, News Articles: The series consists of over 1,400 photocopied news articles regarding the University of Rhode Island State Crime Laboratory's investigation of the Martin Luther King Jr. assassination rifle. The articles were compiled by the University's Department of Communications, News Bureau Office, from February to August 1997.

Series 2, Press Conference Video: The series consists of one Beta Cam video tape recording of a press conference, May 14, 1997, regarding the Martin Luther King Jr. bullet and rifle testing investigation.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged into two series as follows:

• 1. News Articles
• 2. Press Conference Video

Historical note

In August 1996 James Earl Ray's lawyer William Pepper asked University of Rhode Island State Crime Laboratory firearms expert Robert Hathaway if he would conduct an investigation regarding the rifle said to have been used to kill Martin Luther King Jr. Ray, who pleaded guilty to the murder in 1969, had been appealing his conviction since 1970. Hathaway, reluctant at first, recommended several of his colleagues, but then agreed to take the case at Pepper's behest.

In February 1997 Hathaway testified before the Tennessee Court of Appeals that a scanning electron microscope could provide previously unavailable evidence that might prove the rifle was, or was not, the one used to murder King. Judge Joe Brown agreed to reopen the investigation and in May the rifle was brought to the University's crime lab.

As Hathaway put together a team of forensic experts, reporters from around the world came to the University to cover the story. The investigation was aired on Dateline NBC, CNN, and Fox News among many other media outlets including radio stations in South Africa. It was during this time that the University of Rhode Island's Department of Communications Office began collecting news articles regarding the investigation.

This collection consists of over 1,400 news articles filed chronologically February to August 1997. There were many more reports transmitted over broadcast outlets around the world which the Communications Office could not track due to budgeting constraints.

Access & Use

Access to the collection:	Any qualified person doing scholarly research is permitted to use material housed in the Special Collections Unit.
Use of the materials:	Terms governing use and reproduction: Photocopying and scanning of materials is a fee based service available in the repository and is allowed at the discretion of the Archivist when in compliance to the Unit's policy on copyright and publication.
Preferred citation:	Martin Luther King Jr. News Article Collection of the Bullet and Rifle Test, Rec. Gr. 166, University of Rhode Island, University Archives and Special Collections.
Contact information:	University Archives and Special Collections 15 Lippitt Road Kingston, RI 02881-2011 Tel: 401-874-4632 email: archives@etal.uri.edu

Administrative Information

ABOUT THE COLLECTION
Acquisition:	The collection was transferred to the University of Rhode Island Special Collections by Jean L. McCollough on August 06, 2003.
ABOUT THE FINDING AID
Author:	Finding aid prepared by Mark Dionne.
Encoding:	Finding aid encoded by Mark Dionne 2003, updated by Erin C. Mullen on 2012 March 01, updated by Mark Dionne on 2020 April 22.
Descriptive rules:	Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Additional Information

Inventory

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Inventory