A memorialceremony for famed attorney Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr. was held Thursday, March 30,at noon in the Southern University Law School Atrium and attended by law schoolstudents, faculty and staff.
Cochran,who became a household name when he defended O.J. Simpson against murdercharges, died of a brain tumor Tuesday at the age of 67.
A proclamationwas written in honor of his contributions to the SU Law Center, the blackcommunity and the legal profession.
Theproclamation was presented by president-elect of the Student Bar AssociationEdward “Ted” James and Eric W. Claville, SU Law School Division Representativefor the American Bar Association.
Kappa AlphaPsi Fraternity Inc. honored Cochran, their fraternity brother, by singing theKappa Hymn.
Remarkswere given by Freddie Pitcher Jr., chancellor of SULC, Saul Simmons, vicechairman of SBA and Derrick Kee, outgoing SBA president.
A copy ofthe proclamation will be sent to the family of Johnnie Cochran, grandson of aLouisiana sharecropper and son of an insurance salesman, has been called “themost famous lawyer on the planet.”
“He was trulya figure head in the law; he made great bounds to making a place for AfricanAmerican attorneys to be recognized as having great accomplishments in defensein other forms of education,” said Tawnii Cooper-Smith, a law student fromMashantucket, Conn. and Student Bar Association representative.
Cochranearned a reputation as an outstanding trial lawyer, won numerous awards, andhas been featured and profiled in nearly every major magazine and newspaper inAmerica.
He wasinvolved in numerous philanthropic projects.
Heestablished the Johnnie L. Cochran Sr. Scholarship for UCLA African Americanmales (known as Cochran Scholars); scholarships at the University of New MexicoSchool of Law and the Southern University Law Center.
“He was agreat lawyer and a great humanitarian. I admired his work that he did in the community and where he stood whenhe represented not just the “O.J.’s” but the “No J’s” and I really respectedthat,” said Eric W. Claville, a law student from Shreveport and representativefor the American Bar Association president. “I think that it’s great that nowhis peers, colleagues and his family will remember him from that.”
Cochran wasthe keynote speaker for Southern University at Shreveport’s spring commencementin 2001. He served as keynote speaker at Southern University Baton Rouge’spring 2002 commencement where he encouraged students to “go forth andprosper.”
He alsoinformed graduates that he was currently working on a case to seek reparationsfrom slavery. Cochran received an honorary doctorate degree in public policyfrom the university.
A fewmonths later after delivering the commencement address the Southern Universityalumni hosted the Blue and Gold Celebrity Gala for the 2002 Alumni FederationNational Conference in Miami.
“Rarely arewe privileged to encounter an individual of Mr. Cochran’s caliber. When we do must savor the moment,” saidEdward R. Jackson, chancellor of SUBR.
In his 2002autobiography, “A Lawyer’s Life,” Cochran said his admiration for ThurgoodMarshall, the legendary NAACP attorney and Supreme Court justice whosuccessfully argued against school segregation before the high court in 1954,persuaded him that a “single dedicated man could use the law to changesociety.”
“It is agreat lost for us to lose such an important figure in the law system and hispresence was felt by all students especially African Americans working andstudying in the field of law. Hewas inspirational, a true hero, a modern day hero for the big man as well asthe little man. He showed he worked for people as important as O.J. (Simpson)to the common the guy walking on the street and that what was really specialabout him,” said Charlee Renaud, a law student from Opelousas.
AttorneyJohnnie L. Cochran Jr. is recognized as an outstanding trial lawyer, civillibertarian, philanthropist and a seasoned litigator and leader in the legalprofession throughout the world.
He isconsidered one of the leading authorities on criminal justice in thiscountry. The countless “No Js”whom he represented will be the hallmark of his fabulous career
“His legacywill continue to live on, hopefully because of his passing people will realizethe significance of him in the African American community, in America legally,in the future of the law because he has succeeded beyond some of the prejudiceand injustice that people were suffering from the legal perspective,” saidWalter Zinn, a law student from Pontotoc, Miss.
Cochran issurvived by his second wife, Sylvia Dale Mason; his son, Jonathan Cochran, froma prior relationship; his daughters Tiffany Cochran Edwards and MelodieCochran, from his first marriage; and sisters Pearl Baker and Martha JeanSherrard.
His funeralis scheduled for 11a.m. in Los Angeles Wed., April 6, with public visitation onTues., April 5.
“He was avery special person and will be greatly missed,” said Leon Tarver, president ofSouthern University System. “Hewas fond of all of SU, he knew a lot of people from SU in his personal andprofessional life and he was always available to help.”
