Charles Redding Pitt
Encyclopedia
Charles Pitt (born March 29, 1944) is an American attorney
and former chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party
.
Pitt was born in Decatur, Alabama
. He attended the University of Alabama
and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
degree
in 1967. He was active in campaign for Robert F. Kennedy
in the 1968 presidential election.
After graduating from college Pitt entered the officer corps of the United States Army
, serving from 1969 to 1972 in Vietnam
, where he attained the rank of captain and earned a Bronze Star
. Later he served in the Office of the Chief of Staff for Intelligence in Washington, D.C.
Following his Army service, Pitt attended Boston College Law School
and received his Juris Doctor
in 1977, after which he returned to his home state and began his public career. Pitt served as Alabama's Assistant Attorney General from 1981 to 1991, and Chief Deputy Attorney General from 1991 to 1994. He has served as a legal advisor to several Alabama state government officials. From 1994 to 1998 he served as United States Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama
.
Pitt currently practices law in Birmingham, Alabama
. He was one of the attorneys of record
for former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman
during Siegelman's federal trial
in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama on charges of bribery
, mail fraud, and obstruction of justice
. He continues to serve campaigns for Democratic candidates, including his Boston College classmate John Kerry
in 2004. He serves on the Democratic National Committee
and was elected in 2003 to chair the Alabama Democratic Party
.
Pitt is married to Jane LaCroy Brannon of Montgomery, Alabama
. He has one son, William Rivers Pitt
, by his previous wife, Jane H. Pitt. He is related to the 18th-century British Prime Minister
William Pitt
.
Law of the United States
The law of the United States consists of many levels of codified and uncodified forms of law, of which the most important is the United States Constitution, the foundation of the federal government of the United States...
and former chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party
Alabama Democratic Party
The Alabama Democratic Party is the local branch of the Democratic Party in the state of Alabama. It is chaired by Judge Mark Kennedy. The Executive Director is Bradley Davidson....
.
Pitt was born in Decatur, Alabama
Decatur, Alabama
Decatur is a city in Limestone and Morgan Counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. The city, affectionately known as "The River City", is located in Northern Alabama on the banks of Wheeler Lake, along the Tennessee River. It is the largest city and county seat of Morgan County...
. He attended the University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
in 1967. He was active in campaign for Robert F. Kennedy
Robert F. Kennedy
Robert Francis "Bobby" Kennedy , also referred to by his initials RFK, was an American politician, a Democratic senator from New York, and a noted civil rights activist. An icon of modern American liberalism and member of the Kennedy family, he was a younger brother of President John F...
in the 1968 presidential election.
After graduating from college Pitt entered the officer corps of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, serving from 1969 to 1972 in Vietnam
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, where he attained the rank of captain and earned a Bronze Star
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
. Later he served in the Office of the Chief of Staff for Intelligence in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Following his Army service, Pitt attended Boston College Law School
Boston College Law School
Boston College Law School is one of the six professional graduate schools at Boston College. Located approximately 1.5 miles from the main Boston College campus in Chestnut Hill, Boston College Law School is situated on a wooded campus in Newton, Massachusetts.With approximately 800 students and...
and received his Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
in 1977, after which he returned to his home state and began his public career. Pitt served as Alabama's Assistant Attorney General from 1981 to 1991, and Chief Deputy Attorney General from 1991 to 1994. He has served as a legal advisor to several Alabama state government officials. From 1994 to 1998 he served as United States Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama
United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama
The United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction comprises the following counties: Autauga, Barbour, Bullock, Butler, Chambers, Chilton, Coffee, Coosa, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Elmore, Geneva, Henry, Houston, Lee, Lowndes,...
.
Pitt currently practices law in Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
. He was one of the attorneys of record
Attorney of record
An attorney of record is a lawyer or barrister who has appeared in court or signed pleadings. The attorney of record in American or British courts remains the official lawyer, until some other attorney replaces him or her. This attorney "has made an appearance on behalf of a party to a...
for former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman
Don Siegelman
Don Eugene Siegelman is an American Democratic Party politician who held numerous offices in Alabama. He was the 51st Governor of Alabama for one term from 1999 to 2003...
during Siegelman's federal trial
Federal crime
In the United States, a federal crime or federal offense is a crime that is made illegal by U.S. federal legislation. In the United States, criminal law and prosecution happen at both the federal and the state levels; thus a “federal crime” is one that is prosecuted under federal criminal law, and...
in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama on charges of 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...
, mail fraud, and obstruction of justice
Obstruction of justice
The crime of obstruction of justice, in United States jurisdictions, refers to the crime of interfering with the work of police, investigators, regulatory agencies, prosecutors, or other officials...
. He continues to serve campaigns for Democratic candidates, including his Boston College classmate John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
in 2004. He serves on the Democratic National Committee
Democratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
and was elected in 2003 to chair the Alabama Democratic Party
Alabama Democratic Party
The Alabama Democratic Party is the local branch of the Democratic Party in the state of Alabama. It is chaired by Judge Mark Kennedy. The Executive Director is Bradley Davidson....
.
Pitt is married to Jane LaCroy Brannon of Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
. He has one son, William Rivers Pitt
William Rivers Pitt
William Rivers Pitt is an author, editor, and political activist.-Background:Pitt was born in Washington, D.C., and lived several years in Alabama before eventually moving to Boston...
, by his previous wife, Jane H. Pitt. He is related to the 18th-century British Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
William Pitt
William Pitt
William Pitt is most likely to refer to:* William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham , Prime Minister of Great Britain 1766–1768; often known as William Pitt the Elder...
.