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"We're concerned about the truth, having the truth come out in a court of law," said Mrs. King, widow of the slain civil rights leader.
Mrs. King was the first witness called in the King family's civil case against a man who the family alleges has said he played a role in the assassination.
The King family charges there was a conspiracy involved in the April 4, 1968 assassination in Memphis, and that Lloyd Jowers, a 73-year-old former restaurant owner, was part of it.
Jowers owned a cafe that overlooked the Lorraine Motel where King was shot and killed as he stood on the balcony.
In his opening statement, King family lawyer William Pepper told jurors there has been a cover-up of the evidence in the assassination.
"I suggest to you that some of the evidence you hear may go to the essence of this republic," he said.
According to the lawsuit, Jowers told Dexter Scott King, son of the civil rights leader, that he played a role in the alleged conspiracy, handling funds on behalf of a businessman who wanted King killed, and handling the rifle he said was used.
Jowers' lawyer, Lewis Garrison Jr., told jurors that there was indeed a conspiracy. He said he agreed with 80 percent of the allegations, but he minimized Jowers' role.
"I think you'll find he was a very small part -- if any, if any -- in the assassination of Mr. King," he said in his opening statement.
James Earl Ray, who pleaded guilty to killing King and quickly recanted, died last year. Toward the end of Ray's life, the King family accepted his claims of innocence.
In testimony on Nov. 16, one witness, Nathan Whitlock, told the court that he had been told by a businessman, Frank Liberto, who has since died, that Liberto had ordered King's assassination and that Ray had not committed the crime.
The suit claims Jowers said there was an area near the restaurant where the killer was supposed to stand in order to shoot King. Jowers allegedly said he took a still smoking gun and hid it.
He said a man named Raoul brought him a gun used in the assassination, the suit says.
TO: COPA Members and contacts
FROM: John Judge (Executive Board)
RE: Dallas, Nov 22, 1999
Friends,
COPA is in deep standby mode at the present time pending any breaking
developments in the JFK, RFK or MLK cases. We have secured release,
through an ongoing FOIA suit against Army Intelligence new files
relating to military intelligence surveillance of Dr. Martin Luther
King. Jr. in Memphis at the time of the assassination. We passed these
"after action reports" to the King family and the Justice Department's
ongoing investigation into his murder. We have not planned any national
or regional conferences this year.
Dr. Gary Aguilar serves as COPA's current contact point. Mail and membership should be sent to him at COPA, P.O. Box 640425, San Francisco, CA 94164-0425 or call 415-563-4453. The DC office of COPA has been closed and mail sent to that address is being forwarded.
We are aware, however, that many of you may travel to Dallas on the 36th anniversary of the assassination. We have made arrangements for a special rate at the Paramount Hotel for our members. The Paramount is just off Dealey Plaza at 302 S. Houston Street (at Houston and Jackson). For reservations between November 19 and 22, at a special rate of $59/night for a single room, call 214-761-9090 and mention COPA. These will be on an as available rate for those nights, so call soon if you plan to be in Dallas. Informal gatherings of researchers are planned at the Adolphus Hotel on Saturday, November 20, and can be arranged during the weekend for COPA members at the Paramount. I and other COPA board members will be in town if at all possible. The 22nd falls on a Monday this year, and I am not sure what events, if any, are planned for the Grassy Knoll. I hope to lead a moment of silence if other events are not planned at 12:30pm. Hope to see you there.
John Judge, for COPA
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