Coretta Scott King

== Lawsuits ==
[[File:P38128-03-398h.jpg|King poses next to a portrait of her husband in 2004|thumb|left]]
The King family has mostly been criticized for their handling of Martin Luther King Jr.'s estate, both while Coretta was alive and after her death. The King family sued a California auction in 1992, the family's attorneys filing claims of stolen property against Superior Galleries in Los Angeles Superior Court for the document's return. The King family additionally sued the auction house for punitive damages.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vMIDAAAAMBAJ&q=king+family+sues+auction&pg=PA6|title=King Family Sues Auction House For Speech Outline|date=November 30, 1992|work=Jet |access-date=June 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141206232945/http://books.google.com/books?id=vMIDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA6&dq=king+family+sues&hl=en&sa=X&ei=3gTcUtXeC5DvoASr_IDwCw&ved=0CDEQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=king%20family%20sues%20auction&f=false|archive-date=December 6, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1994, ''USA Today'' paid the family $10,000 in attorney's fees and court costs and also a $1,700 licensing fee for using the "[[I Have a Dream]]" speech without permission from them.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5ccDAAAAMBAJ&q=king+family+sues&pg=PA9|title=King Family Sues USA Today Over Historic 'I Have a Dream' Address|date=August 8, 1994|work=Jet |access-date=June 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151019043605/https://books.google.com/books?id=5ccDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA9&dq=king+family+sues&hl=en&sa=X&ei=3gTcUtXeC5DvoASr_IDwCw&ved=0CC0Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=king%20family%20sues&f=false|archive-date=October 19, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> CBS was sued by the King estate for copyright infringement in November 1996. The network marketed a tape containing excerpts of the "I Have a Dream" speech. CBS had filmed the speech when Martin Luther King Jr. delivered it in 1963 and did not pay the family a licensing fee.<ref>Dyson, p. 261.</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.latimes.com/2002/jan/20/opinion/op-swanson|title=Copyright Wars: The Kings Strike Back|first=James L.|last=Swanson|date=January 20, 2002|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=January 23, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141221131258/http://articles.latimes.com/2002/jan/20/opinion/op-swanson|archive-date=December 21, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>

On April 8, 1998, King met with [[United States Attorney General|attorney general]] [[Janet Reno]] as requested by President [[Bill Clinton]]. Their meeting took place at the Justice Department four days after the thirtieth anniversary of her husband's death.<ref>{{cite news|work=Orlando Sentinel|date=April 9, 1998|title=King's Widow Asks Reno To Reopen Murder Case|url=http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1998-04-09/news/9804080795_1_coretta-scott-king-king-assassination-martin-luther-king|access-date=January 24, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140220130108/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1998-04-09/news/9804080795_1_coretta-scott-king-king-assassination-martin-luther-king|archive-date=February 20, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> On July 29, 1998, Mrs. King and her son Dexter met with Justice Department officials. The following day, Associate Attorney General Raymond Fisher told reporters, "We discussed with them orally what kind of process we would follow to see if that meets their concerns. And we think it should, but they're thinking about it."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1998-07-31/news/9807300984_1_attorney-general-son-dexter-coretta-scott-king|title=Reno Asks King Family About Review of Killing|date=July 31, 1998|work=Orlando Sentinel|access-date=January 24, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140220104852/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1998-07-31/news/9807300984_1_attorney-general-son-dexter-coretta-scott-king|archive-date=February 20, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> On October 2, 1998, the King family filed a suit against [[Loyd Jowers]] after he stated publicly he had been paid to hire an assassin to kill Martin Luther King. Mrs. King's son Dexter met with Jowers, and the family contended that the shot that killed Martin Luther King came from behind a dense bushy area behind Jim's Grill. The shooter was identified by James Earl Ray's lawyers as Earl Clark, a police officer at the time of King's death, who had been dead for several years before the trial and lawsuits emerged.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1356&dat=19981003&id=ueBPAAAAIBAJ&pg=6721,1049771|title=King family sues man allegedly involved in hiring the assassin|first=Arthur|last=Brice|date=October 3, 1998|work=Star–Banner}}</ref> Jowers himself refused to identify the man he claimed killed Martin Luther King, as a favor to who he confirmed as the deceased killer with alleged ties to organized crimes.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=799&dat=19991115&id=TLwwAAAAIBAJ&pg=5199,5808258|title=King's widow hopes trial will bring out the truth|work=[[The Bryan Times]]|date=November 15, 1999}}</ref> The King lawsuit sought unspecified damages from Jowers and other "unknown coconspirators". On November 16, 1999, Mrs. King testified that she hoped the truth would be brought about, regarding the assassination of her husband. Mrs. King believed that while Ray might have had a role in her husband's death, she did not believe he was the one to "really, actually kill him".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1817&dat=19991117&id=hDsdAAAAIBAJ&pg=5901,3217056|date=November 17, 1999|work=[[The Tuscaloosa News]]|title=King's widow hopes trial will bring out truth}}</ref> She was the first member of the King family to testify at the trial, and noted that the family believed Ray did not act alone.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2199&dat=19991121&id=G7xfAAAAIBAJ&pg=6537,27577|title=Martin Luther King's family seeks answers|work=Lawrence Journal-World|date=November 21, 1999}}</ref> It was at this time that King called for President [[Bill Clinton]] to establish a national commission to investigate the assassination, as she believed "such a commission could make a major contribution to interracial healing and reconciliation in America."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1291&dat=19980403&id=vD9UAAAAIBAJ&pg=6516,647282|title=King's family wants new investigation|date=April 3, 1998|work=[[Boca Raton News]]|access-date=June 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151019043605/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1291&dat=19980403&id=vD9UAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OI4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6516,647282|archive-date=October 19, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>