Buron Fitts
Encyclopedia
Buron Rogers Fitts was a California politician, who was the 29th Lieutenant Governor
of the state from 1927 to 1928 and Los Angeles County district attorney
thereafter until 1940.
Born in Belcherville, Texas
, Fitts received his law degree in 1916 from the University of Southern California
, and while a student there worked as a clerk for the prominent attorney Earl Rogers
.
According to For the People — Inside the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office 1850-2000, by Michael Parrish, Fitts was a severely injured veteran of World War I
whose base of political support lay in the American Legion
organization of war veterans. He had been shot in the knee in the Battle of Argonne and limped for the rest of his life.
He was appointed deputy district attorney
for Los Angeles County
in 1920 during the term of Thomas Lee Woolwine
and chief deputy in 1924 under Asa Keyes
. He was elected lieutenant governor in 1926 and served in the administration of Governor C.C. Young. Fitts term as lieutenant governor of California: January 4, 1927 to November 30, 1928. Governor Young appointed H. L. Carnahan
, lieutenant governor on December 4, 1928, vice Buron Fitts, resigned.
In 1928, Keyes was indicted for bribery
(in connection with the Julian Petroleum Company scandal), and Fitts resigned effective Nov. 30 of that year to become a special prosecutor in that case. He was elected district attorney (the county's chief law officer) as well.
Fitts was elected for a second term in 1932, and he investigated the death of Hollywood producer-director-screenwriter Paul Bern
, the husband of actress Jean Harlow
. Samuel Marx, in his book Deadly Illusions (1990) accuses Fitts of having been bribed by MGM studio officials to accept a fabricated version of Bern's suicide to avoid scandal in Hollywood. Fitts was also indicted for bribery
, and perjury
in 1934 for allegedly taking a bribe to drop a statutory rape
charge against a millionaire real-estate promoter. He was acquitted in two years later.
Fitts was elected to a third term as district attorney in 1936 and remained until 1940, when he was defeated by a reform candidate, John F. Dockweiler. Fitts and J.D. Fredricks (1903–1915) are the only Los Angeles County District Attorneys to serve three complete terms.
On March 7, 1937, Fitts was wounded by a volley of shots fired through the windshield of his car. (Los Angeles Times, March 8, 1937, quoted in He Usually Lived With a Female, referenced below.) Nobody was ever arrested in that case.
He joined the Army Air Corps
in 1942 with the rank of major. He was chief, intelligence, Pacific Overseas Air Technical Services.
His last residence was in Three Rivers
, in Tulare County, California
, where he committed suicide by a pistol shot to the head in 1973, one week after his 78th birthday.
Lieutenant Governor of California
The Lieutenant Governor of California is a statewide constitutional officer elected separately from the Governor who serves as the "vice-executive" of California. The Lieutenant Governor of California is elected to serve a four year term and can serve a maximum of two terms...
of the state from 1927 to 1928 and Los Angeles County district attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
thereafter until 1940.
Born in Belcherville, Texas
Belcherville, Texas
Belcherville is an unincorporated community along U.S. Route 82 and Farm to Market Road 1816 in Montague County, Texas, United States. The population is less than 50.-History:...
, Fitts received his law degree in 1916 from the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, and while a student there worked as a clerk for the prominent attorney Earl Rogers
Earl Rogers
Earl Rogers was a successful American trial lawyer.-Life:He was the son of a Methodist minister who went to California when Earl was still a small boy. He was admitted to the bar in 1897. One of his clerks was Buron Fitts. Rogers appeared for the defense in 77 murder trials and lost only three...
.
According to For the People — Inside the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office 1850-2000, by Michael Parrish, Fitts was a severely injured veteran of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
whose base of political support lay in the American Legion
American Legion
The American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
organization of war veterans. He had been shot in the knee in the Battle of Argonne and limped for the rest of his life.
He was appointed deputy district attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
for Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 9,818,605, making it the most populous county in the United States. Los Angeles County alone is more populous than 42 individual U.S. states...
in 1920 during the term of Thomas Lee Woolwine
Thomas L. Woolwine
Thomas Lee Woolwine was a California politician. He was District Attorney of Los Angeles County 1914-1923. He began his career as a deputy DA in 1908. He ran for Governor of California under the Democratic ticket in 1922, but lost to Friend Richardson. See also William Desmond Taylor case. When he...
and chief deputy in 1924 under Asa Keyes
Asa Keyes
Asa Keyes was district attorney of Los Angeles County, California from June 1923 until 1928, when he was found guilty of accepting a bribe from the Julian Petroleum Company and was sentenced to five years' imprisonment...
. He was elected lieutenant governor in 1926 and served in the administration of Governor C.C. Young. Fitts term as lieutenant governor of California: January 4, 1927 to November 30, 1928. Governor Young appointed H. L. Carnahan
H. L. Carnahan
Herschel L. Carnahan was the 30th Lieutenant Governor of California, 1928-1931.-External links:* biography at JoinCalifornia.com* Los Angeles County Biographies: at ancestry.com...
, lieutenant governor on December 4, 1928, vice Buron Fitts, resigned.
In 1928, Keyes was indicted for bribery
Bribery
Bribery, a form of corruption, is an act implying money or gift giving that alters the behavior of the recipient. Bribery constitutes a crime and is defined by Black's Law Dictionary as the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or...
(in connection with the Julian Petroleum Company scandal), and Fitts resigned effective Nov. 30 of that year to become a special prosecutor in that case. He was elected district attorney (the county's chief law officer) as well.
Fitts was elected for a second term in 1932, and he investigated the death of Hollywood producer-director-screenwriter Paul Bern
Paul Bern
Paul Bern was a German-born American film director, screenwriter and producer for MGM.-Early life and career:...
, the husband of actress Jean Harlow
Jean Harlow
Jean Harlow was an American film actress and sex symbol of the 1930s. Known as the "Blonde Bombshell" and the "Platinum Blonde" , Harlow was ranked as one of the greatest movie stars of all time by the American Film Institute...
. Samuel Marx, in his book Deadly Illusions (1990) accuses Fitts of having been bribed by MGM studio officials to accept a fabricated version of Bern's suicide to avoid scandal in Hollywood. Fitts was also indicted for bribery
Bribery
Bribery, a form of corruption, is an act implying money or gift giving that alters the behavior of the recipient. Bribery constitutes a crime and is defined by Black's Law Dictionary as the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or...
, and perjury
Perjury
Perjury, also known as forswearing, is the willful act of swearing a false oath or affirmation to tell the truth, whether spoken or in writing, concerning matters material to a judicial proceeding. That is, the witness falsely promises to tell the truth about matters which affect the outcome of the...
in 1934 for allegedly taking a bribe to drop a statutory rape
Statutory rape
The phrase statutory rape is a term used in some legal jurisdictions to describe sexual activities where one participant is below the age required to legally consent to the behavior...
charge against a millionaire real-estate promoter. He was acquitted in two years later.
Fitts was elected to a third term as district attorney in 1936 and remained until 1940, when he was defeated by a reform candidate, John F. Dockweiler. Fitts and J.D. Fredricks (1903–1915) are the only Los Angeles County District Attorneys to serve three complete terms.
On March 7, 1937, Fitts was wounded by a volley of shots fired through the windshield of his car. (Los Angeles Times, March 8, 1937, quoted in He Usually Lived With a Female, referenced below.) Nobody was ever arrested in that case.
He joined the Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
in 1942 with the rank of major. He was chief, intelligence, Pacific Overseas Air Technical Services.
His last residence was in Three Rivers
Three Rivers, California
Three Rivers is a census-designated place in Tulare County, California, United States. The population was 2,182 at the 2010 census, down from 2,248 at the 2000 census....
, in Tulare County, California
Tulare County, California
Tulare County is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California, south of Fresno. Sequoia National Park is located in the county, as are part of Kings Canyon National Park, in its northeast corner , and part of Mount Whitney, on its eastern border...
, where he committed suicide by a pistol shot to the head in 1973, one week after his 78th birthday.
See also
- C.H. Garrigues, grand jury investigator
- List of California public officials charged with crimes