Joseph Russoniello
Encyclopedia
Joseph P. Russoniello is an American attorney who recently served as the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California
after being appointed by President George W. Bush
and confirmed by the United States Senate
in 2007. Russoniello served his first term from 1982 to 1990 after being appointed by President Ronald Reagan
and confirmed by the United States Senate
.
, Russoniello graduated from Saint Peter's Preparatory School in Jersey City, NJ, in 1959. He received a J.D. degree from New York University Law School in 1966 and a B.S.S. degree from Fairfield University
in 1963. After graduating from the NYU School of Law Mr. Russoniello was appointed a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation
, and later served as an Assistant District Attorney for the City and County of San Francisco
before joining Cooley Godward Kronish LLP in 1975.
. He personally prosecuted Larry Layton of the Peoples Temple for his part in the murder of Congressman Leo Ryan
in Jonestown, Guyana, and tried several other high profile criminal and civil cases.
His office prosecuted the Hitachi
and Mitsubishi
corporations for their theft of IBM secrets; Jerry Whitworth and James D. Harper Jr. in separate espionage cases; and dozens of white collar crime cases involving financial institution fraud, money laundering, securities fraud, public corruption, defense procurement fraud, other government contract fraud, export control violations, copyright infringement and trademark counterfeiting.
Until his resignation, he was a member of the United States Attorney General's
Advisory Committee, served as chairman of its White Collar Crime Subcommittee and was a member of the Economic Crime Council of the Department of Justice
.
for five and a half years until his resignation in July 2007.
(which encompasses the 15 counties from the Oregon-California border to Monterey, including the San Francisco Bay Area). Upon taking office, Mr. Russoniello indicated that his priorities during his second term would include national security
, helping to get guns off the street and prosecuting Internet child pornography
distribution. He is also overseeing his office's prosecution of Barry Bonds
, former San Francisco Giants
outfielder and all-time Major League Baseball
home run king, on perjury
charges, as well as Ed Jew
, former Member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors
, on extortion
and bribery
charges.
, the Edward McFetridge Inn of the American Inns of Court, the American Board of Trial Lawyers, the American Law Institute
and numerous civic and legal organizations.
Mr. Russoniello was, until his recent appointment as United States Attorney
, a member of the National Review Board of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California
The United States Attorney for the Northern District of California is the United States Attorney responsible for representing the federal government in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California....
after being appointed by President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
and confirmed by the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in 2007. Russoniello served his first term from 1982 to 1990 after being appointed by President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
and confirmed by the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
.
Education and early career
Born in Jersey City, New JerseyJersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
, Russoniello graduated from Saint Peter's Preparatory School in Jersey City, NJ, in 1959. He received a J.D. degree from New York University Law School in 1966 and a B.S.S. degree from Fairfield University
Fairfield University
Fairfield University is a private, co-educational undergraduate and master's level teaching-oriented university located in Fairfield, Connecticut, in the New England region of the United States. It was founded by the Society of Jesus in 1942, and today is one of 28 member institutions of the...
in 1963. After graduating from the NYU School of Law Mr. Russoniello was appointed a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
, and later served as an Assistant District Attorney for the City and County of San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
before joining Cooley Godward Kronish LLP in 1975.
U.S. Attorney: First Term (1982-1990)
From January 1982 to March 1990, Mr. Russoniello served his first term as the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of CaliforniaU.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California
The United States Attorney for the Northern District of California is the United States Attorney responsible for representing the federal government in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California....
. He personally prosecuted Larry Layton of the Peoples Temple for his part in the murder of Congressman Leo Ryan
Leo Ryan
Leo Joseph Ryan, Jr. was an American politician of the Democratic Party. He served as a U.S. Representative from California's 11th congressional district from 1973 until he was murdered in Guyana by members of the Peoples Temple shortly before the Jonestown Massacre in 1978.After the Watts Riots...
in Jonestown, Guyana, and tried several other high profile criminal and civil cases.
His office prosecuted the Hitachi
Hitachi, Ltd.
is a Japanese multinational conglomerate headquartered in Marunouchi 1-chome, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. The company is the parent of the Hitachi Group as part of the larger DKB Group companies...
and Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi
The Mitsubishi Group , Mitsubishi Group of Companies, or Mitsubishi Companies is a Japanese multinational conglomerate company that consists of a range of autonomous businesses which share the Mitsubishi brand, trademark and legacy...
corporations for their theft of IBM secrets; Jerry Whitworth and James D. Harper Jr. in separate espionage cases; and dozens of white collar crime cases involving financial institution fraud, money laundering, securities fraud, public corruption, defense procurement fraud, other government contract fraud, export control violations, copyright infringement and trademark counterfeiting.
Until his resignation, he was a member of the United States Attorney General's
United States Attorney General
The United States Attorney General is the head of the United States Department of Justice concerned with legal affairs and is the chief law enforcement officer of the United States government. The attorney general is considered to be the chief lawyer of the U.S. government...
Advisory Committee, served as chairman of its White Collar Crime Subcommittee and was a member of the Economic Crime Council of the Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
.
Private Practice and Dean: (1990-2007)
Before returning to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Mr. Russoniello was Senior Counsel and resident in the San Francisco office of Cooley Godward Kronish LLP where he was a member of the Litigation department and the practice group for Business Crimes & Regulatory Defense. Mr. Russoniello also served as Dean of the San Francisco Law SchoolSan Francisco Law School
San Francisco Law School is a private, non-profit law school in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1909, the law school became non-profit in 1941 and moved to its present location in 1968...
for five and a half years until his resignation in July 2007.
U.S. Attorney: Second Term (2008-2010)
Mr. Russoniello was succeeded in August of 2010 by Melinda Haag as the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of CaliforniaU.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California
The United States Attorney for the Northern District of California is the United States Attorney responsible for representing the federal government in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California....
(which encompasses the 15 counties from the Oregon-California border to Monterey, including the San Francisco Bay Area). Upon taking office, Mr. Russoniello indicated that his priorities during his second term would include national security
National security
National security is the requirement to maintain the survival of the state through the use of economic, diplomacy, power projection and political power. The concept developed mostly in the United States of America after World War II...
, helping to get guns off the street and prosecuting Internet child pornography
Child pornography
Child pornography refers to images or films and, in some cases, writings depicting sexually explicit activities involving a child...
distribution. He is also overseeing his office's prosecution of Barry Bonds
Legal problems of Barry Bonds
The Barry Bonds perjury case was a case of alleged perjury regarding use of anabolic steroids by former San Francisco Giants outfielder and all-time Major League Baseball home run king Barry Bonds and the related investigations surrounding these accusations. On 13 April 2011, Bonds was convicted...
, former San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
outfielder and all-time Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
home run king, on 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...
charges, as well as Ed Jew
Ed Jew
Edmund "Ed" Jew is an incarcerated former Chinese American politician based in San Francisco. He graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in economics and later earned a masters degree in business administration at Golden Gate University...
, former Member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors
San Francisco Board of Supervisors
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors is the legislative body within the government of the City and County of San Francisco, California, United States.-Government and politics:...
, on extortion
Extortion
Extortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
and 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...
charges.
Other Affiliations
Mr Russoniello is a member of the American College of Trial LawyersAmerican College of Trial Lawyers
The American College of Trial Lawyers is a professional association of trial lawyers from the United States and Canada. Founded in 1950, the College is dedicated to maintaining and improving the standards of trial practice, the administration of justice and the ethics of the profession...
, the Edward McFetridge Inn of the American Inns of Court, the American Board of Trial Lawyers, the American Law Institute
American Law Institute
The American Law Institute was established in 1923 to promote the clarification and simplification of American common law and its adaptation to changing social needs. The ALI drafts, approves, and publishes Restatements of the Law, Principles of the Law, model codes, and other proposals for law...
and numerous civic and legal organizations.
Mr. Russoniello was, until his recent appointment as United States Attorney
United States Attorney
United States Attorneys represent the United States federal government in United States district court and United States court of appeals. There are 93 U.S. Attorneys stationed throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands...
, a member of the National Review Board of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).