Theodore Trautwein
Theodore Walter Trautwein (March 29, 1920 – August 17, 2000) was an American
Early life and education
Trautwein was born in
Judicial career
As a county court judge starting in 1964, and later as a district court judge, Trautwein issued rulings that supported creation of the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission to provide state oversight of development in the New Jersey Meadowlands and of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, which brought horse racing and professional sports to the Meadowlands.[1]
He was named as a New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division judge in 1981.[1]
Dr. X. trial and shield laws
In 1978, the "Dr. X" murder trial of
Attorney
With several breaks for appeals, Farber ended up spending a total 40 days in the Bergen County Jail and was not released until October 24 after Jascalevich was acquitted. The
Trautwein's actions in regard to Farber have been used as a case study in both law schools and schools of journalism. Jane E. Kirtley of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press cited how "Farber's case roused journalists out of their complacency", noting that "Going to jail for more than a month is significant in anyone's eyes."[1]
Trantino parole
Thomas Trantino had been sentenced to life in prison for the shooting deaths in 1963 of two police officers in Lodi, New Jersey. The New Jersey State Parole Board was willing to release him once arrangements were made for making restitution to the survivors and in 1980 assigned Trautwein responsibility for setting the amounts. Trautwein refused to do so, saying, "It would be a gruesome, illogical, self-evident act of futility to order the restoration of the victims' lives."[4] Without the restitution arrangements, Trantino's parole had been rejected and he remained in jail beyond Trautwein's death.[1] He was finally released in 2002, after spending 38 years in jail.[5]
Death
A resident of Hollywood, Florida for the two years before his death, Trautwein died there at age 80 on August 17, 2000, of heart failure. He was survived by his wife, Lorna, a daughter, a son and four grandchildren.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Corcoran, David. "Theodore Trautwein, Judge in Landmark Press Case, Dies at 80", The New York Times, September 2, 2000. Accessed October 13, 2009.
- ^ Berger, Joseph. "Raymond A. Brown, Civil Rights Lawyer, Dies at 94", The New York Times, October 11, 2009. Accessed October 12, 2009.
- ^ Staff. "Press: Piercing a Newsman's Shield", Time, August 7, 1978. Accessed October 14, 2009.
- ^ Hanley, Robert. "Judge in Jersey Declines to Put Price on 2 Lives; So Restitution Move Fails in Murder Parole Case An 'Impossible' Task Background of the Case Police Demonstration Recalled Judge Declines to Set A Price for Restitution In Murder Parole Case Application to Murder", The New York Times, October 3, 1980. Accessed October 12, 2009.
- ^ Jacobs, Andrew. "Freed After 38 Years, a Killer Struggles to Fit In", The New York Times, February 27, 2002. Accessed October 14, 2009.