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Lloyd Jowers
Memphis Restaurant Owner; MLK Assassination Conspiracy
Confessed in 1993 to involvement in the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.; a 1999 civil trial jury found him liable as part of a conspiracy
Overview
Lloyd Jowers was a Memphis; Tennessee restaurant owner who operated Jim's Grill; located on the ground floor below the rooming house from which James Earl Ray allegedly shot Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4; 1968. In 1993; Jowers appeared on ABC's Prime Time Live and confessed that he had been part of a conspiracy to assassinate King; claiming he had been paid $100;000 by a Memphis produce dealer named Frank Liberto (whom Jowers said had Mafia connections) to facilitate the assassination. Jowers claimed he received the actual murder weapon; a rifle; through his back door and handed it to a shooter (not James Earl Ray) who fired from the bushes behind the restaurant. In 1999; the King family filed a wrongful death civil lawsuit against Jowers and "other unknown co-conspirators." After a four-week trial; the Memphis jury deliberated for approximately one hour before finding Jowers and "government agencies" liable in a conspiracy to assassinate King. The jury awarded the King family $100 in damages (a symbolic amount requested by the family). Attorney William Pepper; who represented the King family; presented evidence implicating the FBI; CIA; U.S. Army; and Memphis police in the assassination conspiracy. The Department of Justice investigated the claims and published a report in 2000 concluding that Jowers's story was not credible; though the King family continued to maintain that the evidence showed a conspiracy.
Key Affiliations
Controversies & Concerns
Confessed on national television in 1993 to involvement in the conspiracy to assassinate Martin Luther King Jr.
Claimed he was paid $100;000 by a produce dealer with Mafia connections to facilitate the assassination
Said he received the murder weapon and handed it to a different shooter (not James Earl Ray) who fired from the bushes
1999 civil trial jury found Jowers and "government agencies" liable in a conspiracy to assassinate King
DOJ investigated and concluded Jowers's claims were not credible; the King family disputed the DOJ findings
Related Investigations (1)
Known Associates & Connections
James Earl Ray
Both implicated in MLK assassination; Jowers claimed Ray was not the actual shooter
William Pepper
Attorney who represented King family and uncovered Jowers' role in MLK conspiracy
Sources & Documentation
2 documented sources from official records, investigations, and reports
Personal Information
- Birthplace
- Memphis, Tennessee, USA
Education
Key Timeline
April 4, 1968
Martin Luther King Jr. assassinated at Lorraine Motel in Memphis; Jim's Grill was directly below the alleged sniper position
1993
Jowers appears on ABC Prime Time Live; confesses to involvement in assassination conspiracy
November-December 1999
King family civil trial: jury finds Jowers and government agencies liable for conspiracy in approximately one hour of deliberation
June 2000
DOJ publishes report concluding Jowers's claims are not credible
May 20, 2000
Jowers dies