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Fred P. Graham, stalwart chronicler of legal news, dies at 88 Fred P. Graham, stalwart chronicler of legal news, dies at 88
(3 days later)
Fred P. Graham, a onetime lawyer who abandoned legal practice for legal journalism, chronicling courtroom dramas from the arcane workings of the U.S. Supreme Court to the most sensational trials of his era for the New York Times, CBS News and Court TV, died Dec. 28 at his home in Washington. He was 88.Fred P. Graham, a onetime lawyer who abandoned legal practice for legal journalism, chronicling courtroom dramas from the arcane workings of the U.S. Supreme Court to the most sensational trials of his era for the New York Times, CBS News and Court TV, died Dec. 28 at his home in Washington. He was 88.
The cause was complications from Parkinson’s disease, said his wife, Skila Harris.The cause was complications from Parkinson’s disease, said his wife, Skila Harris.
Mr. Graham was perhaps best known as the legal affairs correspondent for CBS News, where he was hired away from the Times in 1972 to help cover the Watergate affair and where he spent the next 15 years of his career before helping found Court TV in 1991. Mr. Graham was perhaps best known as the legal affairs correspondent for CBS News, where he was hired away from the Times in 1972 to help cover the Watergate affair and where he spent the next 15 years of his career before joining Court TV in 1991.
With his signature Southern twang — he had grown up in Tennessee, the son of a Presbyterian preacher — he brought to the airwaves a personable manner, along with erudition gained through his studies at Yale, Vanderbilt and Oxford universities. He was the recipient of Emmy and Peabody awards for excellence in television news.With his signature Southern twang — he had grown up in Tennessee, the son of a Presbyterian preacher — he brought to the airwaves a personable manner, along with erudition gained through his studies at Yale, Vanderbilt and Oxford universities. He was the recipient of Emmy and Peabody awards for excellence in television news.
At each stop in his career, Mr. Graham once told the Nashville Tennessean, he found himself “where the action was.” In 1965 he became the first lawyer named Supreme Court correspondent for the Times, where he covered the expansion of civil rights and civil liberties that occurred under the leadership of Chief Justice Earl Warren.At each stop in his career, Mr. Graham once told the Nashville Tennessean, he found himself “where the action was.” In 1965 he became the first lawyer named Supreme Court correspondent for the Times, where he covered the expansion of civil rights and civil liberties that occurred under the leadership of Chief Justice Earl Warren.
He also covered the 1971 Pentagon Papers case, a landmark of First Amendment law in which the Supreme Court blocked a Nixon administration effort to stop the Times and The Washington Post from publishing a secret government history of the Vietnam War. (Beyond his reportage, Mr. Graham served the Times during that historic episode by hiding a copy of the much-contested documents in a freezer in his garage.)He also covered the 1971 Pentagon Papers case, a landmark of First Amendment law in which the Supreme Court blocked a Nixon administration effort to stop the Times and The Washington Post from publishing a secret government history of the Vietnam War. (Beyond his reportage, Mr. Graham served the Times during that historic episode by hiding a copy of the much-contested documents in a freezer in his garage.)
When CBS hired Mr. Graham to report on the legal issues raised by the Watergate scandal, “it turned out that major TV networks were just developing an interest in legal matters,” Mr. Graham recalled. Then, when the network entered what he decried as its “infotainment phase, trying to jazz up the news,” he became one of the first hires at Court TV, “a channel totally devoted to law,” he said, and one that “couldn’t have been better suited to my interest and my experience.”When CBS hired Mr. Graham to report on the legal issues raised by the Watergate scandal, “it turned out that major TV networks were just developing an interest in legal matters,” Mr. Graham recalled. Then, when the network entered what he decried as its “infotainment phase, trying to jazz up the news,” he became one of the first hires at Court TV, “a channel totally devoted to law,” he said, and one that “couldn’t have been better suited to my interest and my experience.”
Whether in print or broadcast news, Mr. Graham aimed to provide the public with a clear understanding of the key legal questions of the day. In some cases, that meant demystifying the practices and deliberations of the Supreme Court justices, whom he described (at a time when the high court’s bench included no women) as “isolated men with limited political experience, lifetime tenure and long black robes.”Whether in print or broadcast news, Mr. Graham aimed to provide the public with a clear understanding of the key legal questions of the day. In some cases, that meant demystifying the practices and deliberations of the Supreme Court justices, whom he described (at a time when the high court’s bench included no women) as “isolated men with limited political experience, lifetime tenure and long black robes.”
In other cases, Mr. Graham tried to strip away some of the tabloid hoopla of high-profile cases, to reveal the true role of the court system that many Americans knew largely through inaccurate depictions in Hollywood and in television dramas.In other cases, Mr. Graham tried to strip away some of the tabloid hoopla of high-profile cases, to reveal the true role of the court system that many Americans knew largely through inaccurate depictions in Hollywood and in television dramas.
“Americans have always been fascinated by the law,” he once told CNN, “but now that they can actually see it with a camera in there, I think they all realize that . . . it’s more interesting than they knew it was.”“Americans have always been fascinated by the law,” he once told CNN, “but now that they can actually see it with a camera in there, I think they all realize that . . . it’s more interesting than they knew it was.”
Throughout his career, he waged a campaign to increase judicial transparency by allowing television cameras in courtrooms. The Supreme Court does not allow them — a matter of abiding controversy — but some judges have permitted cameras during high-profile trials.Throughout his career, he waged a campaign to increase judicial transparency by allowing television cameras in courtrooms. The Supreme Court does not allow them — a matter of abiding controversy — but some judges have permitted cameras during high-profile trials.
Chief among them was the double-murder trial of O.J. Simpson, which ended in 1995 when the former football star was acquitted of killing his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman. The Simpson case, which dominated the media for months, vaulted Court TV to national prominence, but it was only one of many cases the channel covered.Chief among them was the double-murder trial of O.J. Simpson, which ended in 1995 when the former football star was acquitted of killing his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman. The Simpson case, which dominated the media for months, vaulted Court TV to national prominence, but it was only one of many cases the channel covered.
“Our whole theory was that it’s best to just let the public see for themselves,” Mr. Graham, who became chief anchor and managing editor of Court TV, told the Tennessean. “When I first started trying cases in Nashville, there would always be people sitting there just for entertainment. It was interesting. What we try to do every day at Court TV is duplicate that by using the marvel of the electronic age. That is, if you can permit people to see the trial as they would see it if they were in the courtroom, and if there is no harm done, obviously society is the better for it.”“Our whole theory was that it’s best to just let the public see for themselves,” Mr. Graham, who became chief anchor and managing editor of Court TV, told the Tennessean. “When I first started trying cases in Nashville, there would always be people sitting there just for entertainment. It was interesting. What we try to do every day at Court TV is duplicate that by using the marvel of the electronic age. That is, if you can permit people to see the trial as they would see it if they were in the courtroom, and if there is no harm done, obviously society is the better for it.”
Fred Patterson Graham was born in Little Rock on Oct. 6, 1931. He attended a two-room elementary school in Texarkana, Ark., where his family said his classmates included future billionaire and third-party presidential candidate H. Ross Perot.Fred Patterson Graham was born in Little Rock on Oct. 6, 1931. He attended a two-room elementary school in Texarkana, Ark., where his family said his classmates included future billionaire and third-party presidential candidate H. Ross Perot.
Mr. Graham graduated from high school in Nashville before receiving a bachelor’s degree from Yale University in 1953. After Marine Corps service in Korea and Japan, he received a law degree from Vanderbilt University in Nashville in 1959, working on the side as a reporter for the Tennessean.Mr. Graham graduated from high school in Nashville before receiving a bachelor’s degree from Yale University in 1953. After Marine Corps service in Korea and Japan, he received a law degree from Vanderbilt University in Nashville in 1959, working on the side as a reporter for the Tennessean.
He continued his legal studies at the University of Oxford in England as a Fulbright scholar, then practiced law for several years in Nashville. In the early 1960s, he moved to Washington, where he served as chief counsel of a Judiciary subcommittee under Sen. Estes Kefauver (D-Tenn.) and as an aide to Labor Secretary W. Willard Wirtz. He continued his legal studies at the University of Oxford in England as a Fulbright scholar, then practiced law for several years in Nashville. In the early 1960s, he moved to Washington, where he served as chief counsel of a Senate Judiciary subcommittee under Sen. Estes Kefauver (D-Tenn.) and as an aide to Labor Secretary W. Willard Wirtz.
Mr. Graham was the author of a memoir, “Happy Talk: Confessions of a TV Newsman” (1990), in which he reflected ruefully on what he regarded as the devolution of television news that contributed to his departure from CBS in 1987. He later worked briefly as an anchorman at a Nashville television station before joining Court TV, where he retired in 2008.Mr. Graham was the author of a memoir, “Happy Talk: Confessions of a TV Newsman” (1990), in which he reflected ruefully on what he regarded as the devolution of television news that contributed to his departure from CBS in 1987. He later worked briefly as an anchorman at a Nashville television station before joining Court TV, where he retired in 2008.
His earlier books included “The Self-Inflicted Wound” (1970), about the Warren Court; “Press Freedoms Under Pressure” (1972), about First Amendment law; and “The Alias Program” (1977), about the witness protection program.His earlier books included “The Self-Inflicted Wound” (1970), about the Warren Court; “Press Freedoms Under Pressure” (1972), about First Amendment law; and “The Alias Program” (1977), about the witness protection program.
Mr. Graham’s marriage to Sheila Lucile McCrea ended in divorce. Survivors include his wife of 37 years, Skila Harris of Washington; three children from his first marriage, Grier Graham and David Graham, both of Mountain View, Calif., and Alyse Graham of Washington; and eight grandchildren.Mr. Graham’s marriage to Sheila Lucile McCrea ended in divorce. Survivors include his wife of 37 years, Skila Harris of Washington; three children from his first marriage, Grier Graham and David Graham, both of Mountain View, Calif., and Alyse Graham of Washington; and eight grandchildren.
“The great social problems of this country get acted out in court,” Mr. Graham once told the Washington Times, reflecting on the legal dramas to which he had devoted his career. “It’s an education for the average person who doesn’t know anything about the law and thinks it’s like Perry Mason. Eventually Perry Mason is going to have to clean up his act.”“The great social problems of this country get acted out in court,” Mr. Graham once told the Washington Times, reflecting on the legal dramas to which he had devoted his career. “It’s an education for the average person who doesn’t know anything about the law and thinks it’s like Perry Mason. Eventually Perry Mason is going to have to clean up his act.”
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