William A. Berry (judge)

William A. Berry (born William Aylor Berry; December 28, 1915 – June 16, 2004) was a Justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court from 1958 to 1978. During World War II, Berry survived 33 months as a prisoner of war in Japan. While serving on the supreme court, he revealed corruption that became a major political scandal.

Biography

Berry was born in

He ended his military service with the rank of lieutenant commander and had earned the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, two Presidential Unit Citations and two Battle Stars, including a Philippine Defense Citation. Returning to civilian life, he moved to Stillwater, Oklahoma, where he began a private law practice in 1947, and became Assistant District Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma. He resigned that post in 1950 to run for a seat in the legislature, a race that he lost. Moving to Oklahoma City, he ran for County Judge, Division 2, a newly created opening. Assigned to handle all juvenile cases coming before the County Court, he was in a position to persuade officialdom and voters that the county needed a juvenile detention facility. The facility was approved, funded, and opened in 1959. It was subsequently named "Berry House." [3]

1965 supreme court scandal

A scandal affecting the Oklahoma Supreme Court erupted into public view on April 8, 1964, when a Federal Grand Jury indicted Justice

Berry, a relative newcomer to the Supreme Court, was not involved in any of the scandalous behavior. He was one of the people who first learned of the scandal, was morally outraged by the details and helped bring it to public attention. Afterward, assisted by James E. Alexander, he related the affair in a book: Justice for Sale: Shocking Scandal of the Oklahoma Supreme Court. [b] The book documented the bribes that were the downfall of Corn and Welch, but similar behavior over a long time, and helped build pressure for changing the way Oklahoma selects and monitors the behavior of its judges.

Post-retirement

After retiring from the Supreme Court, Berry practiced as a private attorney and as a director, president and chairman of the board of the Thomas N. Berry Company, his family's oil and gas business, which was headquartered in Stillwater.^[3]

Death

Berry died on June 16, 2004, in Oklahoma City. A funeral service for the judge was held on June 18 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints of Oklahoma City.^[3] His widow, Carolyn (1925-2013), died on October 18, 2013. The Berrys were survived by two children, five grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.^[5]

Legacy

Berry has been credited with starting the Oklahoma County Juvenile Detention home in June 1953, when he was the Oklahoma County Juvenile Judge. He brought together a number of disparate supporters who shared an interest in creating such a facility. These included: the Juvenile Council of Oklahoma City, county officials, United Church Women, PTA groups, as well as professional groups of social workers, psychologists, and members of the bar and medical professions. Prodded by these efforts, a bill was passed in the Oklahoma Legislature to allow Oklahoma County to fund construction of a home for delinquent young people, under 18 years old. Construction began in March, 1958, and the first child was admitted December 20, 1958.^[c] On February 8, 1960, the Oklahoma County Commissioners Court officially named the facility "Berry House," in honor of Judge Berry.^[6]

See also

• List of justices of the Oklahoma Supreme Court

Notes

References