John Burris
John Burris | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1945[1] |
| Education | BA, Golden Gate University; MBA, University of California, Berkeley; JD, Boalt Hall |
| Occupation | Attorney |
| Spouse | Cheryl Amana |
John Leonard Burris (1945 – ) is an American civil rights attorney, based in Oakland, California, known for his work in police brutality cases representing plaintiffs.
He briefly represented Rodney King in his suit against the Los Angeles Police Department[2] and is most recently noted for filing a civil suit over the BART Police shooting of Oscar Grant.[3] Burris also represented controversial basketball star Latrell Sprewell. Burris has appeared as a legal commentator on MSNBC, CNN, and other cable and local television networks.[1][4]
Burris graduated from Boalt Hall in 1973, worked for Chicago law firm Jenner & Block out of law school, and became a member of the California bar in 1976.[1][5] Burris's work in police brutality cases began in 1979 when he was an investigator in the district attorney's office working on the case of the killing of 14-year-old Melvin Black.[6] Burris's 1999 book, Blue vs. Black, is about the problem of police brutality against African-Americans.
Burris is married to Cheryl Amana, a law professor at North Carolina Central University.[6]
Success in court
Burris "has earned millions of dollars" in hundreds of police brutality and high-profile lawsuits, including a $3.8 million verdict for Rodney King and a $42,000 settlement in a suit brought on behalf of Tupac Shakur.[3] He won a number of large settlements against the city of Oakland, California, including the city's largest settlement, $10.9 million for allegedly planting evidence in the "Oakland Riders" case.[3]
In re Brandon T.
In 1996 Burris defended pro bono Brandon T., a six-year-old Richmond, California boy accused of and prosecuted for attempted murder of an infant, in a crime that made national news.[7][8]
Legal troubles
Burris's license to practice law was suspended for disciplinary reasons for thirty days in 1996.[3][9]
In 1996, Rodney King sued Burris and two other attorneys, accusing them of trying to defraud King out of his rightful share of recovery from a multi-million-dollar jury verdict against Los Angeles; a court ruled that King's suit was not brought within the statute of limitations.[2]
In 2005, federal judge Vaughn R. Walker fined Burris $10,800 for filing a meritless lawsuit without adequately investigating the claims of his clients, but the California state bar took no disciplinary action in response to the judge's referral.[3]
References
- ^ a b c http://pview.findlaw.com/view/2867972_1?channel=LP
- ^ a b Kenneth Ofgang (2001-10-03). "Appeals Court Rejects Rodney King's Malpractice Suit Against Lerman". Metropolitan News-Enterprise.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ a b c d e Elias, Paul (2009-01-27). "Civil Rights Lawyer Takes on Grant Shooting". Associated Press. Retrieved 2009-02-04.
- ^ Chiang, Harriet (2003-03-11). "Cops' stellar array of lawyers". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=69888
- ^ a b Sam Whiting (2005-06-05). "Oakland's Johnnie Cochran". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2009-01-10.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Knapp, Don (1998-08-28). "Very young killers create quandary for legal system". CNN.com. CNN. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
- ^ "The Littlest Criminal". Frontline. 1997-05-13. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
- ^ http://www.calbar.ca.gov/calbar/2cbj/96oct/art6.htm