Martin Luther King

It was 40 years ago today that Martin Luther King was killed. Under mysterious circumstances. By a “drifter.” At the height of the government’s crazed-lone-gunman craze. But not to worry. The Justice Department did a half-assed investigation in 2000 that found no evidence of a consipacy. Click here to read the King family’s thoughts on that investigation. The transcript of the conspiracy trial in which a Tennessee jury found in favor of the King family is here.

Click here to read more and to listen to King’s final speech, at the Mason Temple in Memphis. It’s still as powerful and inspiring as ever.

By the way, John McCain is in full damage-control mode today. It seems the maverick Republican senator voted against a federal holiday in honor of Dr. King in 1983. And when then Arizona Gov. Evan Meacham rescinded the state holiday in 1987, McCain supported the decision.