The Resume

(March 10, 1928-April 23, 1998)
Petty criminal
Shot Martin Luther King in Memphis
Arrested the following year and confessed, but recanted three days later
Escaped from prison and was recaptured after three days (1977)
King's son Dexter said he believed Ray's claim of innocence
Died of liver failure

Why he might be annoying:

He had a long criminal history.
The website catyoga.com is completely devoted to him.
He killed Martin Luther King.
A US government investigation in 2000 failed to find any proof of his innocence.
His name is sometimes confused with James Earl Jones.

Why he might not be annoying:

The King family supported him.
He died in a coma, while in prison.
His father said that he was not smart enough to pull off an assassination on the well-protected Dr. King.

Credit: Wang

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• 2020 - 100 Most Annoying (Ranked: 50)
• AP's Top 10 Stories of 1969 (Ranked: 10)
• Assassins
• I Died in 1998 (Ranked: 70)
• I Escaped From Prison
• I Have Hepatitis
• I Was on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted List (Ranked: 1968)
• I Was on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted List (Ranked: 1977)
• I was Stabbed
• Jack Magic’s Bitch of the Day
• Linked to Martin Luther King
• Long Names
• Newseum's 100 Stories of the Century (Ranked: 33)
• Playboy Interview Subjects [1970s] (Ranked: 1977)
• Profiles 8751-9000 (Ranked: 8945)
• Snipers
• Wang's Profiles [Series 1]

Year In Review:

For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 32 Votes: 21.88% Annoying
In 2023, Out of 39 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 5 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 69 Votes: 62.32% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 1778 Votes: 41.23% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 2190 Votes: 49.45% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 625 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 17 Votes: 52.94% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 41 Votes: 80.49% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 491 Votes: 65.17% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 32 Votes: 56.25% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 291 Votes: 46.39% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 112 Votes: 75.89% Annoying
In 2011, Out of 83 Votes: 79.52% Annoying
In 2010, Out of 52 Votes: 71.15% Annoying
In 2009, Out of 177 Votes: 70.62% Annoying
In 2008, Out of 113 Votes: 78.76% Annoying
In 2007, Out of 149 Votes: 73.83% Annoying
In 2006, Out of 202 Votes: 74.75% Annoying
In 2005, Out of 371 Votes: 69.54% Annoying
In 2004, Out of 597 Votes: 70.18% Annoying
In 2003, Out of 306 Votes: 68.95% Annoying