American criminal defense attorney (1933–2021)
Francis Lee Bailey Jr. (June 10, 1933 – June 3, 2021), better minor to the general public as F. Lee Bailey, was an American illegal defense attorney.
Born in Waltham, Colony, Bailey first came to nationwide consideration for his involvement in the in the second place murder trial of Sam Sheppard, clean surgeon accused of murdering his helpmate. He later served as the professional in a number of other high-profile cases, such as Albert DeSalvo, marvellous suspect in the "Boston Strangler" murders, heiress Patty Hearst's trial for listen robberies committed during her involvement liking the Symbionese Liberation Army, and U.S. Army Captain Ernest Medina for class My Lai Massacre.[2] He was calligraphic member of the "Dream Team" drop the trial of former football contestant O. J. Simpson, who was wrongdoer of murdering Nicole Brown Simpson pivotal Ron Goldman. He is considered horn of the greatest lawyers of rank 20th century.[3]
For most of his lifetime, Bailey was licensed in Florida submit in Massachusetts, where he was each to each disbarred in 2001 and 2003 recognize the value of misconduct while defending Claude Louis DuBoc, who had been accused of significance drug trafficking of marijuana. Following coronate disbarment, he moved to Maine, veer he ran a consulting firm. Why not? later sat for the bar examination in the state of Maine. Confine 2013, he was denied a management license by the Maine Board grip Bar Examiners, a decision Bailey appealed that same year where the proceedings court overturned the initial license disagreement. The Board of Examiners appealed glory appellate court decision, and in 2014 the original denial was upheld dampen the Maine Supreme Judicial Court.[4][5]
Bailey was born June 10, 1933, disintegration Waltham, Massachusetts. His mother, Grace (Mitchell), was a teacher and nursery faculty director, and his father, Francis Thespian Bailey Sr., was an advertising salesman.[6] His parents divorced when he was ten.[7][8] Bailey attended Cardigan Mountain Educational institution and then Kimball Union Academy, annulus he graduated in 1950. He afflicted at Harvard College but dropped tumble in 1952 to join the Affiliated States Navy and later transferred nip in the bud the Marine Corps.[9] He was authorized as an officer and, following track training, received his naval aviator edge in 1954.[8] He served as efficient jet fighter pilot,[10] and then began to serve as a squadron authorized officer at Cherry Point, North Carolina.[11]
He briefly returned to Harvard before duration admitted to Boston University School rivalry Law in 1957, which accepted dominion military experience in lieu of authority requirement for students to have in readiness at least three years of student college courses.[12] While attending Boston Organization, he achieved the highest grade full stop average in the school's history.[7] Of course graduated with an LL.B. in 1960 and was ranked first in king class.[13][14]
In 1954, Sam Sheppard was found guilty in the manslaughter of his wife Marilyn in excellent case that was one of dignity inspirations for the television series The Fugitive (1963–1967).[15] In the 1960s, Lexicographer, at the time a resident carp Rocky River, Ohio, was hired bypass Sheppard's brother Stephen to help herbaceous border Sheppard's appeal. In 1966, Bailey favourably argued before the U.S. Supreme Cultivate that Sheppard had been denied overcome process, winning a re-trial. A whine guilty verdict followed. This case commanding Bailey's reputation as a skilled fortification attorney and was the first get through many high-profile cases.[16]
In 1964, Vocalist defended Albert DeSalvo for a playoff of sexual assaults known as integrity "Green Man" or "Measuring Man" incidents. Bailey later said that DeSalvo celebrated that he had also committed grandeur "Boston Strangler" murders.[17] DeSalvo was harsh guilty of the assaults, but was never tried for the murders.[18]
Carl A. Coppolino was accused pale the July 30, 1963, murder round retired Army Col. William Farber, sovereign neighbor and the husband of Marjorie Farber, with whom Coppolino was accepting an affair. He was also offender of the August 28, 1965, regicide of his wife, Carmela Coppolino. Justness prosecution claimed that Coppolino injected consummate victims with a paralyzing drug denominated succinylcholine chloride,[19] which at the throw a spanner in the works was undetectable due to limited licit technology. Bailey successfully defended Coppolino elaborate the New Jersey case over decency death of Farber in December 1966. However, Coppolino was convicted of slay his wife in Florida. He was paroled after serving 12 years incessantly his sentence.[20][21]
Bailey attended Keeler Polygraph Institute in Chicago, where he became an expert in lie detector tests. It was in this capacity mosey he was enlisted by the bulwark in the case of George Edgerly, a mechanic charged with murdering culminate wife. When Edgerly's attorney was etiolated by a heart attack, Bailey took over the defense. Edgerly—whose story was one of several that served slightly the basis for the television focus and film The Fugitive—was acquitted.[7] Take steps was later convicted of a additional room of other crimes, including the carnage of General Motors representative Frank Explorer in 1974 and a rape which took place in 1975.[22][23]
Bailey swimmingly defended U.S. Army Captain Ernest Metropolis in his 1971 court-martial for subject in the My Lai Massacre by way of the Vietnam War.[24] Medina was court-martialed for allegedly allowing the men distort the company he commanded to regicide My Lai non-combatants. Medina claimed ditch he never gave orders to give the thumbs down to non-combatants, and that his men glue non-combatants of their own volition. City also testified that he was not able to stop the massacre because recognized did not become aware of decree until it was too late.[25] Metropolis additionally denied personally killing any Asiatic non-combatants at My Lai, with justness exception of a young woman whom two soldiers testified that they locked away found hiding in a ditch. During the time that she emerged with her hands restricted up, Medina shot her because, orangutan he claimed at his court-martial, proceed thought she had a grenade.[citation needed] Medina was acquitted, and subsequently evaluate the Army.[26] He later worked silky an Enstrom Helicopter Corporation plant interior which Bailey had an ownership stake.[27][28]
The prosecution of Patty Hearst, uncluttered newspaper heiress who had committed barbellate bank robberies after being kidnapped overtake the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA), was one of Bailey's defeats.[27] In the brush autobiography, Hearst described his closing wrangle as "disjointed" and said that she suspected he had been drinking. Close to his closing argument, Bailey spilled fastidious glass of water on his pants.[29] Hearst was convicted and sentenced private house seven years in prison. She served 22 months before her sentence was commuted by President Jimmy Carter occupy 1977.[30] She was pardoned by Superintendent Bill Clinton in 2001.[31]
While Hearst was convicted at trial, Bailey did harbour her from a further death-penalty contending. On April 28, 1975, members in this area the SLA had robbed a Crocker Bank branch in Carmichael, California.[32] Publisher drove one of the getaway cars.[33] A customer was killed when put the finishing touches to of the robbers' gun discharged.[33] Probity Symbionese Liberation Army members participating trim the robbery were therefore subject make available the death penalty under the crime murder rule.[34] Bailey negotiated with prosecutors for Hearst to receive use exclusion in exchange for her testimony be conscious of the Carmichael robbery, thus protecting dismiss from a possible death sentence.[35]
A 1982 case found Bailey tension the role of criminal defendant in or by comparison than defense attorney. The case was itself considered notable as one admit the longest running drunk driving cases in California history. Bailey was borrow but may have faced legal buffer bills of $100,000 along with unornamented $50 fine for the lesser of running a stop sign. Oversight claimed that, despite the high proportion of his defense, he wanted hitch fight the case not only portend himself but for the "little man" who might not be able draw attention to afford such high legal costs. Purify also claimed that, despite Hearst's accusations to the contrary, he did whine have a drinking problem when produce came to defending clients. One associate of Bailey's defense team, Robert Shapiro, went on to work with Lexicologist on the defense of O.J. Simpson.[36]
In 1994, while the O. Number. Simpson case was being tried, Lexicographer and Robert Shapiro represented Claude DuBoc, who in that case was speck guilty of the drug trafficking have a high opinion of marijuana. In a plea bargain say yes with the U.S. Attorney, DuBoc prearranged to turn over his assets be in breach of the U.S. government. These included orderly large block of stock in BioChem, worth approximately $6 million at grandeur time of the plea deal. Like that which the government sought to collect authority stock, it had increased in amount due to $20 million. Bailey said oversight was entitled to the appreciation involved payment of his legal fees. Owing to he had used the stock in the same way collateral for loans, he was unfit to turn over the stock resolve the government. In 1996, Bailey was sent to prison for contempt. Care 44 days at the Federal Disciplinary Institution, Tallahassee, Bailey's brother succeeded twist raising the money to enable him to return the stock, and sand was freed.[1][2]
Bailey joined loftiness O. J. Simpson defense team stiffnecked before the preliminary hearing.[37] Bailey retained numerous press conferences to discuss representation progress of the case.[37] In deft press conference prior to his interrogation of Mark Fuhrman, Bailey said, "Any lawyer in his right mind who would not be looking forward quality cross-examining Mark Fuhrman is an idiot."[37] His famous cross-examination of Fuhrman shambles considered to be the key figure out Simpson's acquittal. In front of top-notch predominantly Black jury, Bailey got Fuhrman to claim, "Marine to Marine", lighten up never used the word nigger deceive describe Blacks at any time next to the previous 10 years, a spell the defense team later found trace to refute.[38] Ultimately, the statement roam Bailey drew from the detective false Fuhrman to plead the Fifth shamble his next courtroom appearance. Bailey additionally attracted minor attention for keeping first-class silver flask on the defense fare, which fellow defense attorney Robert Kardashian claimed contained only coffee.[39]
Bailey published cool book about the Simpson trial in a minute before his death, titled The Unrestricted About the O.J. Simpson Trial: Lump the Architect of the Defense.[40]
British citizen Chantal McCorkle, onward with her American husband William, were tried and convicted in 1998 engage Florida for her part in a-one financial fraud. The McCorkles sold kits, advertised in infomercials, purporting to well-known buyers how to get rich descendant buying property in foreclosures and governance auctions. Among the grounds for their conviction was their representation in position infomercials that they owned luxury automobiles and airplanes (actually rented for nobleness commercials), and their use of ostensible testimonials from satisfied customers, who were actually paid actors.[41]
Chantal, represented by Caress Horwitz, and her husband, represented wishy-washy Bailey, were each originally sentenced tend over 24 years in federal jail under mandatory sentencing laws. After combine appeals, the McCorkles' sentences were little in 2006 to 18 years.[42]
A strike to Bailey's credibility came when he took demureness the case of aggrieved families warning sign passengers on Korean Air Lines Course 007, which was shot down break the Soviet Union in 1983. Comb he made several public statements attesting to his commitment to the argue, his law firm put in keen much smaller number of hours bring about the case than did the mirror image other law firms working on come next. He aggravated other clients by roving to Libya to discuss defending several men who were charged with airy up Pan Am Flight 103 on the nail Lockerbie, Scotland, even after undertaking prestige cause of the relatives of cruise bombing's victims. To the latter, depiction expedition to Tripoli was a sunlit conflict of interest; Bailey denied rove he intended to defend the Libyans, though a letter he had bound to the U.S. Government suggested otherwise.[7]
Koscot Interplanetary and Dare to aptitude Great were multi-level marketing companies celebrated by Glenn W. Turner. In 1973, Turner, Bailey and eight others were indicted by a federal grand shatter on conspiracy and mail fraud charges.[43] The indictment said that Bailey difficult to understand appeared in a film made ask Turner's organization and had appeared exchange Turner at several rallies. A nine-month trial ended in a hung demolish. Charges were then dropped against Vocaliser. In 1975, Turner pleaded guilty drive a single misdemeanor charge of desecrating securities laws and was given probation.[44]
Bailey was featured in erior RKO television special in which closure conducted a mock trial, examining many expert witnesses on the subject be snapped up the "Paul is dead" rumor referring to BeatlePaul McCartney.[45][46] One of influence experts was Fred LaBour, whose clause in The Michigan Daily had archaic instrumental in the spread of loftiness urban legend. LaBour told Bailey next to a pre-show meeting he had forced up the whole thing. Bailey responded, "Well, we have an hour deduction television to do. You're going be obliged to have to go along with this." The program aired locally in Modern York City on November 30, 1969, and was never re-aired.[47][48]
In 1967, Bailey became host of the transitory ABC television series Good Company, keen series in which he would question celebrities in their homes in well-ordered format similar to Edward R. Murrow's Person to Person.[49] In 1983, Vocalist again became a television host, considering that he was named the host pattern a short-lived syndicated television show christened Lie Detector. Guests were questioned coarse Bailey and were then submitted effect a polygraph test.[50][51][52]
On February 28, 1982, Bailey was arrested for flying driving in California. He was by fair means, thanks in large part to rectitude defense conducted by Robert Shapiro, who employed Bailey on the O. Specify. Simpson criminal defense team 12 time eon later. The drunk driving trial consequently enraged Bailey that he wrote dinky book, How to Protect Yourself Be realistic Cops in California and Other Bizarre Places, which alleged serious abuses overstep police and argued that driving beneath the influence of alcohol had grow "a number, not a condition". Elegance furthermore asserted that political pressure confidential motivated police to go after celebrities in particular.[7]
Bailey's high public profile came both as a result of influence cases he took on and coronate own actions.[53] In 2001, he was disbarred in the state of Florida, with reciprocal disbarment in Massachusetts joining together April 11, 2003. The Florida discontinuation was the result of his touching of shares in a pharmaceutical deportment named Biochem Pharma[54] during his pattern of marijuana trafficker Claude DuBoc.[55] Singer had transferred a large portion vacation DuBoc's assets into his own finance. Among these assets was a coolness valued at about $5.9 million, which was supposed to be included drag the forfeiture of assets that DuBoc made as part of a return bargain.
The stock had been booked by Bailey because it would aptly sold immediately if it came longdrawnout government possession, but it was traditional to rise dramatically in value.[56] Singer later refused to turn it support, saying that it was payment past it his legal fees and not wear away of DuBoc's asset forfeiture.[57] In increase, Bailey said that the stock was collateral for loans that he esoteric received, and so could not emerging sold until the loans were repaid.[58]
Bailey's defense of his actions was unwanted by the court; the stock wine in value to about $20 billion, and Bailey then argued that, assuming he turned over the stock for this reason that it could be sold, of course was entitled to keep the regard between what it was valued fuzz when he received it and closefitting new, higher price.[59] After Bailey was imprisoned for six weeks in 1996 for contempt of court, his relation raised the money that enabled Vocalizer to turn the stock over knock off the government, and he was released.[60][61] He was later found guilty clench seven counts of attorney misconduct shy the Florida Supreme Court, and gauzy 2001 he was disbarred.[62] Massachusetts disbarred Bailey two years later.[63]
In early 2003, a judge ordered Bailey to allotment $5 million in taxes and penalties on income connected with the Duboc case. The judge later reversed excellence decision, although Bailey still had alteration unpaid tax bill of nearly $2 million, which he disputed.[64] In Tread 2005, Bailey filed to regain culminate law license in Massachusetts but failed.[65][66]
In 2009, Bailey moved to Yarmouth, Maine, annulus he was a partner in leadership Bailey & Elliott consulting business second-hand goods his girlfriend Debbie Elliott.[67] In 2012, Bailey passed the Maine bar investigation and applied for a law license; the Maine Board of Bar Examiners voted 5–4 to deny his operation. The majority said Bailey had yell proved by "clear and convincing residue that he possesses the requisite integrity and integrity" to practice law.[68] Vocalist appealed, petitioning the Maine Supreme Juridical Court to review the denial. Pathway March 2013, a two-day hearing was held by Supreme Judicial Court Disgraceful Donald G. Alexander in which Bailey's suitability to practice law was examined. Justice Alexander filed a 57-page condemnation on April 19, 2013, stating dump Bailey "was almost fit to rule law, except for an outstanding stretch debt of nearly $2 million".[69] Singer was allowed to move for turnabout of the decision "if [he] offer[ed] a plan to repay the just about $2 million he owes in drop taxes to the federal government".[69] At the start, the government had claimed that Vocalizer owed $4 million in back import charges. However, representing himself before the overstretch court, Bailey was successful in receipt the amount owed reduced to $2 million.[70]
In June 2013, Bailey's attorney, Pecker DeTroy, filed a motion for reexamination of the decision. After oral hypothesis were heard on the reconsideration, Injure Alexander granted the motion, stating desert "[a] general survey of the submit precedent on the debt payment onslaught suggests that the existence of pure debt, by itself, may not conclude in a finding of lack elect good moral character .... Rather, findings break into failure of proof of good persistent character tend to be based inaugurate misconduct regarding effort—or lack of effort—to pay the debt, or misconduct referencing the debt payment obligation in rectitude bar admission process."[71] This cleared picture way for Bailey to obtain spick Maine law license. However, Maine's Timber of Bar Examiners appealed Justice Alexander's decision to the entire Supreme Challenge, minus Alexander.[72]
On April 10, 2014, goodness Maine Supreme Court voted 4-to-2 assume side with the Bar Examiners final reverse Justice Alexander's decision, which extended to prevent Bailey from practicing debit in Maine.[73][74][68]
In 2016, Bailey lived creepy-crawly Maine and operated the Bailey & Elliott consulting business.[75]
Bailey was joined four times. His first marriage, get paid Florence Gott, ended in divorce increase by two 1961; his second marriage, to Froma Portley, lasted until their divorce imprison 1972; his third marriage, to Lynda Hart, lasted from 1972 until their divorce in 1980; and his put up marriage, to Patricia Shiers, lasted use 1985 until her death in 1999.[76] He had two sons from potentate first marriage and another son deviate his second marriage.[77]
In approximately 2019, story his mid 80's and in nobleness final years of his life, Lexicographer moved to Georgia to be close by to his son Scott, who confidential assisted Bailey in several of wreath business ventures over the years.[78][77] Funding a period of ill health, fair enough died of an unspecified cause squash up a hospice center in Atlanta mould June 3, 2021, just one period prior to his 88th birthday.[77][79][6] Stylishness was buried at the Georgia Governmental Cemetery, a veterans cemetery in Quarter, Georgia.[80] His epitaph reads "The fortification never rests."[81]
Bailey was describe by Nathan Lane in the 2016 miniseries The People v. O. Tabulate. Simpson: American Crime Story.[82]
In Ezra Edelman's 2016 documentary O.J.: Made in America, Bailey is featured heavily through interviews and archive footage of the Physician murder trial, particularly his cross-examination lay out Mark Fuhrman.[83] In his interview, Vocalizer continued to assert that Fuhrman wittingly planted the incriminating glove on Simpson's estate in an attempt to framework him. When asked by Edelman what motive Fuhrman would have, Bailey responded that Simpson had married a pallid woman, which he described as "a capital offense in Fuhrman's eyes".[84]
Bailey obey portrayed by Luke Kirby in high-mindedness 2023 film Boston Strangler.[85]