BOSTON�A cross section of leaders from Boston�s Black community called on President Bill Clinton to convene a special grand jury which they claim "will bring final resolution and justice" in the matter of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The group held a press conference at the Sheraton Boston Hotel on January 17, the day the federal holiday was observed.

The 9 a.m. media event was held in a hallway across from the main ballroom where over 2,000 people were participating in the 13th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. breakfast.

"We made the decision to be at the breakfast today to hand out information to make people aware of the issues that have come forth as a result of the December 1999 civil suit," said Sadiki Kambon, director of the Black Community Information Center, sponsor of the event. Joining Mr. Kambon was Minister Don Muhammad of Muhammad Mosque No. 11 in Boston; Leonard Elkins, president of the Boston NAACP; and 7th ward Councilman Chuck Turner.

A Memphis, Tenn., jury of six Blacks and six whites recently found 73 year-old Lloyd Jowers liable in Dr. King�s death, and that there were "un-named others including government agencies" involved. James Earl Ray, who died in prison, was convicted of the murder.

"Black people have been lulled to sleep" by being constantly reminded of the "I Have A Dream" speech, said Min. Muhammad. He challenged the public to study what Dr. King stood for and to understand the slain civil rights leader�s ideological beliefs.

"If Dr. King meant anything to us it should help us in our development as a people," he said. Min. Muhammad said he first met Dr. King in 1959 in Boston. "I grew to respect him immensely," he said. "Learning the truth about his death has become a passion with me."

The NAACP�s Mr. Elkins called the government�s failure to appoint an independent prosecutor to the case "an act of hypocrisy."

He told The Final Call that the Boston chapter stands unanimously behind a recent decision to ask the national NAACP to become involved, either now or during their national convention.

"There should be organizing across the land," King family attorney Dr. William Pepper of New York, told The Final Call in a telephone interview. "People need to be networking on this."

"We should be speaking out loudly. The same voices that demanded a King holiday should be demanding a federal grand jury investigation," said Sam Riddle, a political consultant now living in Michigan. The midwest activist believes the issue is a real litmus test for Vice President Al Gore in his quest for the Democratic Party�s presidential nomination.

Councilman Chuck Turner said: "Our first focus is saying to President Clinton, as somebody who says that you stand for justice and equality for all, it�s your responsibility to help us bring the truth out." The freshman councilman said that national organizing efforts may begin after the facts are placed openly before the public.