Emile Zola Berman was a Jewish-American criminal defense lawyer. He was named for the famed French novelist Emile Zola

Émile Zola

Émile François Zola was a French writer, the most important exemplar of the literary school of naturalism and an important contributor to the development of theatrical naturalism...

 (1840–1902). During World War II he was an intelligence officer

Intelligence officer

An intelligence officer is a person employed by an organization to collect, compile and/or analyze information which is of use to that organization...

 in the 10th Air Force in Burma where he received the Distinguished Flying Cross

Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)

The Distinguished Flying Cross is a medal awarded to any officer or enlisted member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes himself or herself in support of operations by "heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight, subsequent to November 11, 1918." The...

 and the 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...

. He was discharged as a lieutenant colonel

Lieutenant colonel

Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...

.

Famous Cases

Berman first became nationally known in 1956 when he defended Staff Sgt. Matthew McKeon

Matthew McKeon

Matthew McKeon was a Staff Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps who gained notoriety during the Ribbon Creek incident which occurred at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina, on April 8, 1956...

 who was accused of manslaughter after leading men into a creek during a training exercise on Parris Island

Parris Island, South Carolina

Parris Island is a former census-designated place , currently a portion of Port Royal in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 4,841 at the 2000 census. As defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, Parris Island is included within the Beaufort Urban Cluster and the larger...

. Six of the men drowned, but Berman was able to get an acquittal on the most serious charges. In 1969 Berman was part of the defense team of Sirhan Sirhan

Sirhan Sirhan

Sirhan Bishara Sirhan is a Jordanian citizen who was convicted for the assassination of United States Senator Robert F. Kennedy. He is serving a life sentence at Pleasant Valley State Prison in Coalinga, California.Sirhan was a Christian Arab born in Jerusalem who strongly opposed Israel...

, the assassin of 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...

. Berman received cricitism for defending an avowed anti-Zionist but countered his critics by stating that he was defending Sirhan's rights and not his beliefs.

External links

• Time Magazine: Milestones: Jul. 20, 1981