Minister Says His Dad Killed Martin Luther King Jr.
Son, Now Minister, Says Plan Was Hatched In Gainesville
Posted: 7:25 am CST April 3, 2002Updated: 10:18 am CST April 3, 2002
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- A Gainesville man says it was his father who killed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.The civil rights leader was killed on April 4, 1968, in Memphis. The Rev. Ronald Denton Wilson said all James Earl Ray did was buy the rifle. FBI officials said they're looking into the claim.
Wilson told The Gainesville Sun that portions of the King murder plot were hatched in Gainesville. He said his father, Henry Clay Wilson, died in 1990 at age 68.Wilson and several other family members and ministry associates gathered at the Gainesville Community Plaza to reveal what they say is the truth about the King assassination. Wilson and his sister, Velma Roark of Waldo, said their father told them many times over the years that he shot King."He believed he was a communist, or communist inspired, and would damage our country if he got enough following," Wilson explained.Wilson said that during Ray's trial, he described a man who looked like his father, even using Henry Wilson's nickname, "Raoul."Wilson said he felt compelled to come forth now because, in his words, "I'm in ministry, and I preach honesty but I've been carrying this dark secret."Thursday will be the 34th anniversary of the murder of the civil rights leader.
Celebrate His Life In Our Special SectionDistributed by Internet Broadcasting Systems, Inc. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
