- Percy Foreman
Percy Eugene Foreman (
June 21 ,1902 –August 25 ,1988 ) was a legendary criminal defense attorney fromHouston, Texas . Foreman was born near Bold Springs, Texas, [Michael Dorman, "King of the Courtroom: Percy Foreman for the Defense", p. 35 (Dell Publishing, New York 1969) (hereinafter "Dorman"). The Texas State Historical Association reports that Foreman was born at "Cold Springs". "The Handbook of Texas Online", Texas State Historical Association, at [http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/FF/ffo49.html] . Bold Springs is in Polk County, while Cold Springs is in Cherokee County.] and moved toLivingston, Texas when he was six years old [East Texas Historical Association.] . He was the son of William P. ("Rogers") Foreman, a former sheriff of Polk County, Texas. [Dorman, p. 40.] Percy Foreman attendedStaunton Military Academy in Virginia for one year, graduated from theUniversity of Texas Law School in 1927 ["The Handbook of Texas Online", Texas State Historical Association, at [http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/FF/ffo49.html] ] , and was admitted to the Texas Bar on January 17, 1928. He went on to become one of America's best known trial lawyers.Notorious for his high fees and courtroom theatrics,Fact|date=January 2008 he was often ridiculed for his clothing and disorganization,Fact|date=January 2008 but he was a respected master of tactics. He lost only 53 of 1500 death-penalty cases and only one finally resulted in execution (Steve Mitchell, electrocuted in
Texas in 1951) [ [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,839902,00.html "There Is No Better Than Me" - TIME ] ] [http://users.bestweb.net/~rg/execution/TEXAS.htm] .Foreman's clients included
Candy Mossler ,James Earl Ray , [Dorman, p. 280.] who was convicted of the assassination ofMartin Luther King, Jr. , [http://www.crimelibrary.com/terrorists_spies/assassins/ray/11.html] andCharles Harrelson , ["Texas Ranger Dispatch Magazine" at [http://www.texasranger.org/dispatch/12/Pages/Dean.htm] .] convicted murderer and the father of actorWoody Harrelson .Notes
ee also
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Dominick Dunne's Power, Privilege, and Justice (episode: "The Candy Scandal")*
Judd, for the Defense (television series with main character reportedly based on Percy Foreman)External links
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