JAMES EARL RAY RETURNED TO HIS MAXIMUM SECURITY CELL IN THE STATE PRISON AT NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, YESTERDAY (27 MAY), WHERE HE IS SERVING A 99-YEAR SENTENCE FOR THE MURDER OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, THE CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER. HIS HOPES OF A NEW TRIAL WERE DASHED ON MONDAY (26 MAY) WHEN CRIMINAL COURT JUDGE ARTHUR FAQUIN RULED THAT BECAUSE HE HAD PLEADED GUILTY TO THE MURDER, HE HAD LOST THE RIGHT TO A RETRIAL.

IN A THREE-HOUR HEARING, RAY'S DEFENCE LAWYERS ARGUED THAT HE WAS ENTITLED TO A NEW TRIAL BECAUSE OF THE DEATH ON MARCH 31 OF JUDGE W. PRESTON BATTLE, WHO HEARD THE ORIGINAL CASE AGAINST RAY. BUT JUDGE FAQUIN RULED THAT THE QUESTION WAS SETTLED ON MARCH 10, WHEN RAY PLEADED GUILTY TO KILLING DR. KING ON APRIL 4 1968.

AFTER THE HEARING, RAY'S LAWYERS SAID THEY WOULD APPEAL AGAINST THE FINDING TO THE TENNESSEE STATE COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS. RAY MAINTAINS THAT HIS ORIGINAL DEFENCE ATTORNEYS IMPROPERLY CONVINCED HIM TO PLEAD GUILTY AT HIS TRIAL.

RAY HIMSELF FOUND REPORTERS WAITING FOR HIM AS HE RETURNED TO JAIL: