W. Fred Turner
W. Fred Turner | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 17, 1922 |
| Died | November 23, 2003 (aged 81) |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | University of Florida |
| Known for | His successful criminal defense of Clarence Earl Gideon |
| Spouse | Helen Turner |
Winton Frederick Turner (April 17, 1922 – November 23, 2003) was an American attorney. He successfully defended
Turner was born in
Gideon's case
Clarence Earl Gideon was a drifter convicted of petty theft from a pool hall; at the trial he was denied a lawyer. His appeal to the Supreme Court was accepted, and the decision ordered that counsel be provided in all criminal cases. Gideon's conviction was not overturned, but he was to be tried again.
Gideon chose Turner to be his lawyer for his second trial. The retrial took place on August 5, 1963, five months after the Supreme Court ruling. By destroying the credibility of the prosecution's key witness through exposing contradictions with other eyewitnesses and the witness's self-admittedly false statements (such as about his prior criminal record), Turner won an acquittal for Gideon. The jury acquitted Gideon after one hour of deliberation.
After Gideon
Turner worked as a private attorney until 1979, when he was appointed and subsequently elected to a circuit judge seat. At age 70, he retired from the bench in 1991. His wife Helen died in 1997. Turner died in 2003 at age 81 at his home in Panama City.
He was survived by three children and three grandchildren.
References
- ISBN 0-67972312-9(pbk.))
- New York Times. Retrieved 2008-05-11.