F. Emmett Fitzpatrick
{{short description|American lawyer}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|honorific-prefix =
|name = Emmett Fitzpatrick
|honorific-suffix =
|image =
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|order = 20th
|office = District Attorney of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
|term_start = January 7, 1974
|term_end = January 2, 1978
|predecessor = Arlen Specter
|successor = Ed Rendell
|constituency =
|majority =
|birth_date = {{birth date|1930|3|20}}
|birth_place = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
|death_date = {{Death date and age|2014|9|2|1930|3|20}}
|death_place = Cape May Court House, New Jersey
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|nationality = American
|party = Democratic
|otherparty =
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|alma_mater = Saint Joseph's University
University of Pennsylvania Law School
|occupation =
|profession = Attorney, professor, politician
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}}
F. Emmett Fitzpatrick Jr. (March 20, 1930 – September 2, 2014) was an American politician, attorney and professor. A noted criminal defense attorney,{{cite news |title=A Tribute to My Mentor |author=Law Office Of NiaLena Caravasos, LLC|year=2011 |url=http://www.nialenacaravasos.com/atributetomymentor.html |access-date=October 22, 2011 }} he served as the District Attorney of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, between 1974 and 1978.
Early life and education
Fitzpatrick was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,{{cite book|title=The Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory|author1=Martindale-Hubbell, Inc|author2=Martindale-Hubbell (Firm)|date=1996|volume=14|publisher=Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, Incorporated|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pAY8AQAAIAAJ|access-date=April 10, 2015}} and received his BA in political science from Saint Joseph's University (then known as Saint Joseph's College) in 1952. He received his LL.B. degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1955.{{cite news |title=F. Fitzpatrick |author=Spoke Public Records Search|year=2011 |url=http://www.spoke.com/info/pEzcpIB/FFitzpatrick |access-date=October 23, 2011 }}
Professional career
Fitzpatrick initially gained notoriety through his representation of defendants in several high-profile federal criminal cases, including Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act-related prosecutions.
=District attorney's office=
He served as an assistant district attorney from 1956 through 1962, and as first assistant district attorney from 1962 through 1966.
In 1973, he was recruited by Philadelphia Democratic Party leaders to run against incumbent Republican District Attorney Arlen Specter.{{cite news |title=The Law: Tough, Honest and Fired|newspaper=Time |date=December 30, 1974 |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,909030-1,00.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120913012826/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,909030-1,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 13, 2012|access-date=October 22, 2011 }} He went on to win the election handily, and took office the following January. During his tenure as district attorney, he sought to shake up the day-to-day operations of the office, whose perceived ineffectiveness was a major theme of his campaign against Specter.
Fitzpatrick was, however, the subject of several ethics-related complaints during his time as district attorney. Critics questioned the handling of a cocktail party held after Fitzpatrick's election in which attorneys who may have had future dealings with the district attorney's office paid $50 to attend. All proceeds from the reception went to Fitzpatrick, and the matter was recommended to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's disciplinary board for investigation. Fitzpatrick was also criticized for sentence recommendations he made as district attorney for individuals he had previously defended while in private practice.
In the 1977 Democratic primary, he was defeated for renomination by Ed Rendell, who campaigned against perceived corruption within the district attorney's office, and went on to win the general election.
Post-political career
After his defeat, Fitzpatrick taught numerous educational seminars and an advanced trial techniques course at the Widener University School of Law. He also testified as a legal expert in various court proceedings and appeared frequently as a legal commentator on radio and television programs, including WPVI's Inside Story. Fitzpatrick also went-on to found his own law firm, based in Philadelphia.
He died in a nursing home in Cape May Court House, New Jersey, on September 2, 2014. He had Alzheimer's disease for four years.Moran, Robert (September 3, 2014). [https://www.inquirer.com/philly/obituaries/20140904_F__Emmett_Fitzpatrick_Jr___84__former_district_attorney.html "F. Emmett Fitzpatrick Jr., 84, former district attorney"], The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Portrayal in the media
In the 2019 film The Irishman, Fitzpatrick is portrayed by Stephen Mailer.
References
{{Portal|Philadelphia}}
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{{succession box|before=Arlen Specter |title=District Attorney of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania| years=1974–1978|after=Ed Rendell}}
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Category:People from Middle Township, New Jersey
Category:Politicians from Philadelphia
Category:Saint Joseph's University alumni
Category:Widener University faculty
Category:University of Pennsylvania Law School alumni
Category:District attorneys of Philadelphia
Category:Pennsylvania Democrats