Conspiracy Check

Theories · CIA · Death

Martin Luther King Jr. assassination conspiracy theories

Conspiracy theories about the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee, relate to different accounts of the assassination. King was shot on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel, the day after giving his final speech "I've Been to the Mountaintop." Claims soon arose regarding suspicious aspects of King's assassination and the controversial role of the alleged assassin, James Earl Ray, who was convicted of the murder. Although his guilty plea eliminated the possibility of a trial before a jury, within days Ray recanted and claimed his confession was forced.

Read the full Wikipedia article ↗

Check the claims

Search independent fact-checkers for this topic:

Action items

Prevention steps

  1. StopNotice a strong emotion (anger, fear, 'they don't want you to know') before you share. Pause first.
  2. Investigate the sourceWho is making the claim, what's their expertise, and what do they gain if you believe it?
  3. Find better coverageRead laterally: open new tabs and see what independent outlets and fact-checkers say.
  4. Trace claims to the originFind the original study, video or document. Check dates and whether quotes are cut.
  5. Ask what would change your mindReal theories can be tested. If every piece of counter-evidence 'proves' the cover-up, it can't be.
  6. Count the peopleBig secret plots need thousands of people to stay silent for years. That rarely happens.
  7. Talk, don't mockWith friends or family, ask questions, listen, share your own sources calmly. Shame backfires.
  8. PrebunkLearn the common tricks (cherry-picking, fake experts, false dilemmas) so you spot them early.

Related