Charles Ogletree was an internationally-recognized attorney, professor, and social activist during his life as an accomplished attorney, professor, and social activist. He played an integral part in founding Harvard’s Criminal Justice Institute as well as improving clinical training for public defenders representing indigent clients.
Tom Wine, Jefferson County’s Commonwealth Attorney since 2012, died early Saturday morning at the age of 68.
Charles Ogletree
Charles Ogletree, a civil rights attorney mentored by President Obama who represented Anita Hill and Tupac Shakur, died Friday at 70 of Alzheimer’s disease, according to Harvard Law School. Ogletree was well known for pursuing justice on behalf of oppressed groups – specifically reparations payments for descendants of slaves in America.
Ogletree was born in 1952 to tenant farmers in Merced, California. He attended public schools before earning both a B.A. and M.A. in political science from Stanford University before enrolling at Harvard Law School where he served as president of the Black Law Students Association before returning home to work at District of Columbia Public Defender Service before returning to Harvard as an instructor in 1984.
Ogletree spent his time at Harvard tirelessly advocating for criminal and racial justice, particularly regarding descendants of the 1921 Tulsa race massacre as well as providing services to prisoners incarcerated as indigent defense and public law specialists.
Ogletree wrote over a dozen legal books covering topics like civil rights, the death penalty and racial inequality – his works being frequently referenced in court decisions across the nation.
At Ogletree’s memorial service, Harvard Law professor Margaret Burnham noted Ogletree’s most important legacy for Harvard as someone who taught that it is an attorney’s duty to confront corrupt systems with honesty and compassion, something she found particularly inspiring about Ogletree whose enormous heart and beautiful mind she will miss dearly.
Ogletree leaves behind his wife Pamela Barnes; children Charles Ogletree III and Rashida Ogletree; as well as three grandchildren. A memorial service will take place for him this March. This piece was produced in partnership with Central Valley Journalism Collaborative (CVJC), a non-profit community newsroom located in Merced. This story forms part of their series profiling attorneys who have passed away recently; to read more such tales sign up here for their Substack newsletter which will send weekly updates featuring stories produced by local journalists connected with CVJC!
John Edward Virga
John Virga was an attorney renowned for his high profile cases, best-selling author (“Forcing Nature: The Trees of Los Angeles” was received critical acclaim), public speaker, and an associate professor of law at California State University, Sacramento.
Virga was an active member of the Sacramento County Bar Association and had served as special prosecutor in a number of high-profile murder trials. A graduate of both U.C. Berkeley and Santa Clara University School of Law, he also belonged to the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
At home and away, he was an avid sports fan – often accompanying Sacramento boxing champion Tony Lopez to matches across the country and South Africa. Additionally, Vincent Virga Books published over a dozen books at Bunker Hill Publishing under his imprint at Bunker Hill and lectured extensively about Visual Literacy.
In 1975, Virga was appointed to defend Lynette Alice Fromme against charges that she attempted to assassinate President Ford by pointing a loaded gun at him during his walk through Capitol Park in Sacramento on Sept 5, 1975 and failing to fire it. Her trial became an eventful spectacle with three main performers — Fromme herself, Virga himself and Dwayne Keyes as lead counsel for prosecution — making grandstand plays like Christian did against the Lion of Judah in its aftermath.
On Saturday, the Jefferson County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office released news of Virga Parrish’s death at age 63 after several weeks of illness. Born in Gallitzin and raised near Altoona, Virga leaves his wife Susan; daughter Michelle Kavalets (and husband Mick), two granddaughters and one great-grandson; son Dennis; sister Patricia Bennett (and Anthony Bennett) of Roanoke Rapids North Carolina and many nieces and nephews to cherish his memory; before being predeceased by Leonard Parrish himself (before Leonard Parrish himself passed). A memorial service will take place this month – details will follow soon after.
Robert Philibosian
Robert Philibosian had an extraordinary 40-year career, serving as Los Angeles County District Attorney from 1982 to 1984 and becoming one of the country’s premier civil litigators. Known for being articulate, in-depth in analysis and professional to the core. Robert was also known as an early champion for female attorneys wanting to become prosecutors within Los Angeles County – opening up many doors wide open.
Philibosian was born in San Diego and grew up in Selma, California near Fresno. Even as a toddler he knew two things for sure: his future profession would be law and his political preference would be Republican. Philibosian’s parents came from Armenia; he credits his mother with providing an environment conducive to cultural integration as a result of her teaching the American culture to both him and his sister; attending public schools until graduation at 16 from high school he earned both a bachelor’s degree (in history from Stanford) as well as law degrees from Southwestern Law School respectively.
He joined the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office in 1968 and quickly rose through its ranks, becoming head deputy in charge of Van Nuys Branch by 1979. Promoted to Assistant District Attorney General in 1977 and named Chief Assistant District Attorney by Deukmejian; these titles allowed him to oversee criminal law division initiatives including consumer fraud and antitrust prosecutions.
Philibosian faced off against Ira Reiner for district attorney in 1984 and faced stiff opposition from Ira Reiner who enjoyed significant support from the Democratic Party, even though this race was nonpartisan. Reiner’s strong showing hurt Philibosian; consequently he did not seek reelection and joined an old-line Los Angeles firm called MacDonald Halstead and Laybourne which would eventually merge into Baker & McKenzie before ultimately becoming part of Sheppard Mullin Richter and Hampton as partner.
Philibosian was also an enthusiastic supporter and volunteer for Southwestern Law School, helping them fundraise and mentor its mission and students. Since 1984 he had served on their board and advised their Career Office; family was at the core of his life – his wife Nancy, their two children Rob and Janet as well as grandchildren and great-grandchildren were his priorities.
William Consovoy
William Consovoy, an advocate and lawyer devoted to conservative causes, died Monday at 48 of brain cancer. Consovoy founded Consovoy McCarthy PLLC in Arlington, Virginia where he played an integral role in legal debate nationwide; two cases were heard before the Supreme Court with him representing Shelby County v Holder that gutted key provisions of Voting Rights Act and many other briefed ones briefed for Justice Clarence Thomas and Judge Edith Jones of United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit as law clerks respectively.
He co-founded his boutique firm with Thomas McCarthy, his classmate from George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School. This allowed them to undertake high-profile litigation without encountering conflicts that might arise at larger law firms with many clients. Furthermore, they pioneered a novel model of legal practice; showing other attorneys how they could succeed without accepting elite firms’ Faustian bargain that barred representing clients or causes that offended liberals.
His legal career was defined by taking on complex constitutional issues. He represented numerous private clients with cases related to the First, Second and Fifth Amendments of the US Constitution as well as appearing before landmark Supreme Court cases such as Spokeo Inc v Robins and Evenwel v Abbott. Furthermore, he wrote several books and essays while teaching an Advanced Constitutional Law Seminar at Scalia Law School as well as co-directing their Supreme Court Clinic.
His death leaves a large void in the legal community, as he was an accomplished and dedicated lawyer who played an influential role within it. His passing will be felt by family, friends, colleagues and members of the legal profession alike; particularly as most details about his long battle against brain cancer remained private with only occasional disclosure for professional purposes. He was an exceptional attorney as well as being an exceptional individual.