Today, Amarillo attorney David Blackburn, a major figure in the post-Tim Cole innocence movement, passed away. He was an esteemed criminal defense attorney and passionate advocate for law and civil rights reform.
On Tuesday, Kenneth Starr, the former Whitewater prosecutor who led the Clinton investigation, passed away at 76 years of age.
Kenneth Starr
Starr, 76 years old and renowned for his investigation into former President Bill Clinton’s relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky that culminated in Clinton’s impeachment in 1998, passed away today according to his family.
Kenneth Winston Starr was born in Vernon, Texas to a religious upbringing. His father was a barber and his mother an at-home homemaker.
He graduated from high school in San Antonio and obtained his law degree from Duke University. Prior to joining the Justice Department in the mid-70s, he clerked for Chief Justice Warren Burger at Duke University.
His legal career encompassed numerous significant investigations and lawsuits, such as the Whitewater scandal. His work culminated in the first impeachment of a president in more than two centuries.
Starr was a renowned lawyer, serving as both a Reagan judicial appointee and Solicitor General under President George H.W. Bush; he also appeared before the United States Supreme Court to argue cases.
In a family statement, Starr was remembered for his “distinguished career in academia, law and public service.” Additionally, he served as president and chancellor of Baylor University as well as dean of Pepperdine Law School.
His tenure at Baylor was short lived, however. After it was determined that he had mishandled sexual assault complaints during his tenure there, he was stripped of the title. Subsequently, his family statement noted, he resigned both as professor and chancellor.
Starr’s legal career was shaped by his Christian faith and upbringing in small-town East Texas. He was named “most likely to succeed” by his high school class, and went on to become a devoted husband and proud father of three according to his family.
David Aylor
Today, David Aylor, a well-known Charleston attorney who practiced law in South Carolina, passed away due to an accidental drug overdose. A report from the coroner revealed that Aylor had multiple medications in his system including fentanyl, diazepam, clonazepam and ethanol.
Aylor was a renowned attorney who represented clients in car accidents, personal injury cases, medical malpractice cases and other legal disputes. He worked alongside an exemplary team of legal professionals to ensure people received justice for their losses.
He was an exemplary and kind individual who always put others before himself, taking care of his employees and their families. Additionally, he served as a mentor and motivator for those around him.
Furthermore, his client list was impressive. His law firm boasted 22 staff members and six locations throughout South Carolina.
His firm affectionately referred to him as a “counselor with a heart of gold,” an tenacious and dedicated lawyer who ensured that his clients received top-notch service.
His legacy will live on in his family and the community he helped shape and serve. He left behind a strong succession plan for the firm, and its team members will continue to serve those of the Lowcountry.
Aylor’s passing is a tragic loss to his friends and colleagues in the legal industry. He will be greatly missed for his unwavering devotion to justice and tireless efforts to assist those less fortunate.
The news of his passing sparked an outpouring of sympathy and respect from people across the Lowcountry. He was a highly-respected figure in this community, having an enormous effect on many of his clients.
Elliot Blair
Today, 33 year old California attorney Elliot Blair passed away. He was a Public Defender in Orange County and highly-respected within both his own office and that of the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. A highly intelligent man with an infectious laugh, Elliot had the capacity to connect with everyone he encountered.
He and his wife Kimberly Williams had just finished celebrating their first wedding anniversary when Blair tragically passed away. The couple had previously stayed at Las Rocas Resort & Spa in Rosarito Beach several times before.
On Saturday morning, police reports state, the couple awoke to find Blair lying face down on an open-air walkway outside their hotel room. He had been discovered wearing only his underwear, t-shirt and socks.
His family believes foul play was at the root of his death, citing bruises that appeared to cover Blair’s body and more than 40 fractures on his head. Additionally, there was a large black mark across Blair’s left forearm which may indicate multiple attackers had attempted to cause harm to him, according to family attorney Case Barnett’s testimony to the Los Angeles Times.
NBC News has obtained photos of Elliot Blair’s body which experts say indicate an excessive level of alcohol in his system. Experts say these photos cannot be explained by an accidental fall, suggesting instead a serious medical condition existed.
His death is being investigated by both U.S and Mexican law enforcement agencies. His family is devising a plan to bring his body back to America, having already started a GoFundMe campaign to cover costs. They also want to hire a private firm for conducting an exhaustive post mortem investigation; unlike what Mexican authorities have recommended, they plan to learn more about how he died instead of cremating it as they have repeatedly advised.
Harry Whittington
In 2006, Harry Whittington made national headlines when he was shot in the face by then-Vice President Dick Cheney. A Texas lawyer and Bush campaign contributor, Whittington was hit with birdshot pellets during a hunting accident.
At 78 years old, he spent a week in intensive care after suffering multiple gunshot wounds. A piece of birdshot near his heart caused a minor heart attack, according to doctors at the time.
Whittington, a tall and impeccably dressed lawyer by profession, worked in his home town of Austin as part of his legal practice. A real estate investor by profession, Whittington had engaged in an extended legal battle with the city of Austin over land that belonged to him.
He was a prominent leader of the Texas Republican Party and helped John Tower secure a Senate seat in 1961. Additionally, he supported both George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush before they were elected president, serving as an advisor on prison reform initiatives spearheaded by then-Gov. William Clements.
Later, then-Gov. George W. Bush appointed him to head the Texas Funeral Services Commission.
He was an influential figure within the prison system, reforming a state prison that neglected basic medical care and executed people with mental disabilities. Additionally, he advocated for prisoners’ rights to receive comprehensive treatments and services, including access to private bathrooms.
Whittington was an inspiration and mentor to countless individuals throughout his life. He served as a go-to resource for governors looking to reform troubled state agencies, serving on numerous boards in the process. Most importantly, Whittington championed conservative principles such as keeping government small and taxing income as low as possible.
David Lane
Today, a Denver attorney who had represented several high-profile clients such as a University of Colorado professor who compared September 11 to Adolf Hitler and a high school teacher suspended for making similar comparisons, passed away at 78 years old. He received hospice care shortly before his passing.
Lane was the founding chairman of Riverway Bank and also served on the board of Texas Regional Bancshares, which merged with Riverway in 2002. A lawyer by profession, he practiced criminal defense, civil rights, aviation pilot FAA enforcement actions and military court martial law.
He represented many people accused of violent crimes and was renowned for negotiating plea deals that spared his clients the death penalty. Most notably, he helped negotiate a deal for Miguel Contrera-Perez who faced execution in connection with the 2012 killing of a Colorado prison officer.
He has dedicated his legal career to upholding people’s right to due process. As a lawyer, he has won cases in state and federal courts, such as Reichle v. Howards (First Amendment case), and has even presented arguments before the United States Supreme Court.
One of his high-profile clients was Patrick Crusius, who was charged with capital murder for an August 3 attack on a Walmart in El Paso that killed 22 people. Additionally, he faced domestic terrorism charges and could potentially face the death penalty according to CBS4 reporter John Bash.
Lane was a trial lawyer and executive director of the Western Home Furnishings Association for 14 years, where he created numerous programs to reduce overhead expenses for its retail members.
