Arthur Hanes

Arthur J. Hanes was a special agent of the FBI and from August 1951 to November 1961 a contract administrator at the Hayes Aircraft Corporation of Birmingham. He was elected mayor of Birmingham and served during the 1963 demonstrations with the police commissioner, Bull Connor.¹

The Agency

A memorandum of the Office of Security signed by James O'Connell on October 15, 1968, records: "From May 1952 through February 1959, Hanes served as a Confidential Correspondent with this Office. He resigned due to the pressure of his regular employment." On August 14, 1961, the general counsel's office "received a covert security clearance" to use him on its Cleared Attorneys Panel. "It is believed that Hanes was instrumental in recruiting several Alabama National Guard pilots during the Bay of Pigs incident. Several lost their lives during this period." The memorandum was prompted by word that a New York Times reporter was writing on "the use of Hanes by the Agency in connection with the recruitment of pilots." It closed: "There is no current Agency interest in Mr. Hanes."¹

Ray

In July 1968, while James Earl Ray awaited extradition in London, Hanes and his son met him there. On July 5 Ray signed a power of attorney and an agreement, supplied by the writer William Bradford Huie, giving Hanes 40 percent of what Ray would receive from Huie's book. Three days later Hanes, Ray, and Huie contracted for Huie to pay Ray and Hanes each 30 percent of his receipts. Ray dismissed Hanes in November 1968 for Percy Foreman. Huie paid Hanes 30,000 dollars in fees and expenses and 1,000 dollars for an article, "For Conspiracy."²

The Sixth Circuit recited in 1974 that Hanes "was apparently concerned about whether Ray would be able to pay his fee. Consequently, he was receptive to the suggestion of author William Bradford Huie." The London agreements gave Hanes "complete power of attorney for Ray" and made him "exclusive agent and attorney" for the sale "of any and all rights to information or privacy which he may have in and to his life." Ray alleged that when he asked for a professional investigator Hanes refused, that Hanes said "Why give testimony away when we can sell it?" and that Hanes would not seek a continuance "because the contract with Huie provided that they must go to trial within a certain number of days." The court: "The entire record reeks with ethical, moral and professional irregularities."³