Whitman Knapp
Encyclopedia
Percy Whitman Knapp was a federal judge who led a far-reaching investigation into corruption in the New York City Police Department
from 1970 to 1972.
when he was only three years old. He attended St. Bernard's School
, graduating in 1923, The Choate School
(now Choate Rosemary Hall), graduating in 1927, and Yale University
, graduating in 1931. He went on to Harvard Law School
, where he was editor of the Harvard Law Review
, graduating in 1934. He married Elizabeth Mercer shortly after graduation.
. He remained there until 1938, when he left to become an Assistant District Attorney in Manhattan under the newly elected racket-busting District Attorney
Thomas E. Dewey.
In 1941, Knapp returned to private life and joined the law firm of Donovan, Leisure, Newton & Lumbard. Within a year Frank S. Hogan
, Manhattan's new District Attorney, persuaded him to return to the fold. At one point Mr. Knapp was chief of three bureaus: appeals, indictments, and fraud.
In 1950, Knapp left Mr. Hogan’s office to again enter private practice. In the next few years he served as a special counsel to Mr. Dewey, who had become governor of New York State
, and was a member of the commission that revised the state’s criminal code.
Knapp served during 1953–1954 as special counsel to the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor
, which looked into corruption on the waterfront.
later known as the Knapp Commission
. The probe was sparked by revelations from two police officers, Patrolman Frank Serpico
, and Sergeant David Durk.
Looking back on the work of the Knapp Commission
, Knapp said that the relatively few convictions did not matter as much as his work did, for he felt his work had changed the culture of the police so that they took the charge of corruption in their midst more seriously.
of the U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
. Knapp was quickly confirmed and was seated on the bench on June 30, 1972.
Judge Knapp developed a reputation for resisting cynicism, never losing faith in the ability of police to do the right thing.
. He served on the bench up until his death. He was survived by his third wife, Ann Fallert Knapp, a son, Gregory Wallace Knapp, and by three children from his first wife, Elizabeth Mercer Nason; a son, Whitman E. Knapp, and two daughters, Caroline Hines and Marion Knapp; five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
New York City Police Department
The New York City Police Department , established in 1845, is currently the largest municipal police force in the United States, with primary responsibilities in law enforcement and investigation within the five boroughs of New York City...
from 1970 to 1972.
Childhood and education
Whitman Knapp was the son of Wallace Percy Knapp, a wealthy New York lawyer. His mother was killed in a horse riding accident in Central ParkCentral Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
when he was only three years old. He attended St. Bernard's School
St. Bernard's School
St. Bernard's School, founded in 1904 by Francis Tabor and John Jenkins, is a private all-male elementary school on Manhattan's Upper East Side. St. Bernard's offers motivated young boys of diverse backgrounds an exceptionally thorough, rigorous, and enjoyable introduction to learning and...
, graduating in 1923, The Choate School
Choate Rosemary Hall
Choate Rosemary Hall is a private, college-preparatory, coeducational boarding school located in Wallingford, Connecticut...
(now Choate Rosemary Hall), graduating in 1927, and Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, graduating in 1931. He went on to Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
, where he was editor of the Harvard Law Review
Harvard Law Review
The Harvard Law Review is a journal of legal scholarship published by an independent student group at Harvard Law School.-Overview:According to the 2008 Journal Citation Reports, the Review is the most cited law review and has the second-highest impact factor in the category "law" after the...
, graduating in 1934. He married Elizabeth Mercer shortly after graduation.
Law
After his graduation from law school, he started working with the law firm of Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft in ManhattanManhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. He remained there until 1938, when he left to become an Assistant District Attorney in Manhattan under the newly elected racket-busting 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...
Thomas E. Dewey.
In 1941, Knapp returned to private life and joined the law firm of Donovan, Leisure, Newton & Lumbard. Within a year Frank S. Hogan
Frank Hogan
Frank Smithwick Hogan was an American lawyer and politician from New York. Dubbed "Mr. Integrity" due to his perceived honesty and incorruptibility, he was D.A. of New York County for more than 30 years.-Life and career:...
, Manhattan's new District Attorney, persuaded him to return to the fold. At one point Mr. Knapp was chief of three bureaus: appeals, indictments, and fraud.
In 1950, Knapp left Mr. Hogan’s office to again enter private practice. In the next few years he served as a special counsel to Mr. Dewey, who had become governor of New York State
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, and was a member of the commission that revised the state’s criminal code.
Knapp served during 1953–1954 as special counsel to the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor
Waterfront Commission
The Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor is a regulatory agency in Port of New York and New Jersey in the United States The inter-state government entity of New York and New Jersey was established in August of 1953...
, which looked into corruption on the waterfront.
Knapp Commission
In 1970, Mayor John V. Lindsay appointed Knapp to head a five-member commission investigating corruption in the New York City Police DepartmentNew York City Police Department
The New York City Police Department , established in 1845, is currently the largest municipal police force in the United States, with primary responsibilities in law enforcement and investigation within the five boroughs of New York City...
later known as the Knapp Commission
Knapp Commission
The Knapp Commission stemmed from a five-member panel initially formed in April 1970 by Mayor John V. Lindsay to investigate corruption within the New York City Police Department...
. The probe was sparked by revelations from two police officers, Patrolman Frank Serpico
Frank Serpico
Francesco Vincent Serpico is a retired American New York City Police Department officer who is most famous for testifying against police corruption in 1971...
, and Sergeant David Durk.
Looking back on the work of the Knapp Commission
Knapp Commission
The Knapp Commission stemmed from a five-member panel initially formed in April 1970 by Mayor John V. Lindsay to investigate corruption within the New York City Police Department...
, Knapp said that the relatively few convictions did not matter as much as his work did, for he felt his work had changed the culture of the police so that they took the charge of corruption in their midst more seriously.
Federal judge
As the Knapp Commission was ending its investigation and was preparing to issue a report, President Richard M. Nixon nominated Knapp as a JudgeJudge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
of the U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York is a federal district court. Appeals from the Southern District of New York are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (in case...
. Knapp was quickly confirmed and was seated on the bench on June 30, 1972.
- In 1986, Judge Knapp presided over the racketeering case against Bronx County DemocraticDemocratic Party (United States)The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
leader Stanley M. Friedman.
- In 1987, Judge Knapp was appointed United States Senior District Court Judge.
- In 1993, Judge Knapp joined with Judge Jack B. WeinsteinJack B. WeinsteinJack Bertrand Weinstein is a United States federal judge in the Eastern District of New York. Judge Weinstein was appointed in 1967 by President Lyndon Johnson. From 1980 to 1988, he served as chief judge of the district. On March 1, 1993, he took senior status; however, unlike some senior...
of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, based in Brooklyn, New YorkBrooklynBrooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, in declaring that they would no longer preside over drug trials.
Judge Knapp developed a reputation for resisting cynicism, never losing faith in the ability of police to do the right thing.
Death
In 2004, Judge Knapp died at the age of 95 at the Cabrini Hospice in ManhattanManhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. He served on the bench up until his death. He was survived by his third wife, Ann Fallert Knapp, a son, Gregory Wallace Knapp, and by three children from his first wife, Elizabeth Mercer Nason; a son, Whitman E. Knapp, and two daughters, Caroline Hines and Marion Knapp; five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
See also
- Thomas E. Dewey
- Frank S. HoganFrank HoganFrank Smithwick Hogan was an American lawyer and politician from New York. Dubbed "Mr. Integrity" due to his perceived honesty and incorruptibility, he was D.A. of New York County for more than 30 years.-Life and career:...
- John V. Lindsay
- Knapp CommissionKnapp CommissionThe Knapp Commission stemmed from a five-member panel initially formed in April 1970 by Mayor John V. Lindsay to investigate corruption within the New York City Police Department...
- Mollen CommissionMollen CommissionThe Mollen Commission is formally known as The City of New York Commission to Investigate Allegations of Police Corruption and the Anti-Corruption Procedures of the Police Department. Former judge Milton Mollen was appointed in July 1992 by then New York City mayor David N. Dinkins to investigate...
- Police corruptionPolice corruptionPolice corruption is a specific form of police misconduct designed to obtain financial benefits, other personal gain, or career advancement for a police officer or officers in exchange for not pursuing, or selectively pursuing, an investigation or arrest....
- Police misconductPolice misconductPolice misconduct refers to inappropriate actions taken by police officers in connection with their official duties. Police misconduct can lead to a miscarriage of justice and sometimes involves discrimination...
- Frank SerpicoFrank SerpicoFrancesco Vincent Serpico is a retired American New York City Police Department officer who is most famous for testifying against police corruption in 1971...
- SerpicoSerpicoSerpico is a 1973 American crime film directed by Sidney Lumet. It is based on the true story of New York City policeman Frank Serpico, who went undercover to expose the corruption of his fellow officers, after being pushed to the brink at first by their distrust and later by the threats and...
- United States District Court for the Southern District of New YorkUnited States District Court for the Southern District of New YorkThe United States District Court for the Southern District of New York is a federal district court. Appeals from the Southern District of New York are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (in case...
- United States federal judgeUnited States federal judgeIn the United States, the title of federal judge usually means a judge appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate in accordance with Article II of the United States Constitution....
Further reading
- HER HORSE KILLS HER IN CENTRAL PARK; Falls on Mrs. Knapp, Crushing Her Chest, While She Is Riding with Daughter - New York Times article: May 22, 1912
- YALE ALUMNI HOLD COLORFUL REUNIONS; HONORED MEMBERS OF YALE'S GRADUATING CLASS - New York Times article: June 16, 1931
- MISS MERCER PICKS BRIDAL ATTENDANTS; Brookline, Mass., Girl to Be Wed to Percy Whitman Knapp in Maine on Saturday - New York Times article: June 27, 1934
- DEWEY APPOINTS 14; AVERAGE AGE IS 32; Eleven Republicans, Two of Labor Party and Democrat Named as Assistants - New York Times article: December 29, 1937
- MRS. MARROW WED TO WHITMAN KNAPP - New York Times article: November 4, 1956
- MRS. KNAPP WED TO JOHN W. NASON; Former Elizabeth Mercer and Ex-Swarthmore Head Marry at Keene Valley - New York Times article: June 30, 1957
- http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F10814FF355517768FDDAC0A94DC405B808BF1D3Graft Paid to Police Here Said to Run Into Millions; Survey Links Payoffs to Gambling and Narcotics Some on Force Accuse Officials of Failure to Act Graft Payments to Policemen Here Are Reported to Run Into the Millions Annually Some Members of Force Say Officials Fail to Act - New York Times article: April 25, 1970]
- Mayor's Committee Investigating Police Corruption Here Meets Tomorrow to Determine Procedures - New York Times article: April 26, 1970
- PANEL ON POLICE MAY BE REPLACED; Mayor Is Expected to Name a Larger Unit on Graft That Excludes Leary - New York Times article: May 9, 1970
- LINDSAY APPOINTS CORRUPTION UNIT; Subpoena Power Asked for 2d Panel to Study Police - New York Times article: May 22, 1970
- Graft-Inquiry Head; Percy Whitman Knapp - New York Times article: May 23, 1970
- KNAPP SAYS LAWS SPUR POLICE GRAFT; Lindsay Appointee Explains Objectives of Inquiry - New York Times article: June 7, 1970
- 41 Policemen Are Subpoenaed By Knapp Unit in Betting Inquiry- New York Times article: February 17, 1971
- PERJURY LAID TO 2 IN POLICE INQUIRY; Patrolmen in Meat Incident Are First to Be Accused in Knapp Investigation Perjury Charged to 2 Policemen In Knapp Inquiry on Corruption - New York Times article: June 9, 1971
- Knapp Says Mayor Shares Blame for Corrupt Police; Knapp Faults Lindsay On Corruption of Police - New York Times article: July 2, 1971
- http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F50811F6385C1A7493CBA8178BD95F458785F9KNAPP UNIT TELLS OF POLICE BRIBERY AS HEARINGS OPEN; Reports 'Extensive' Problem in Corruption Here--Tape Evidence Is Presented DETAILS OF VICE GRAFT 2 Patrolmen and a Lawyer Linked to Payoffs to Help an East Side Madam Knapp Panel Tells of Police Bribery as Hearings Begin Here - New York Times article: October 19, 1971]
- Patrolman Says 'All But 2' Of Colleagues Got Bribes; Numbers Runner Tells the Knapp Panel That He Paid Off a Detective Monthly With Money From Social Security Patrolman Says 'All But 2' Colleagues Took Bribes - New York Times article: October 23, 1971
- http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB0917F7345B137A93C6AB178BD95F458785F9KNAPP UNIT'S HEAD DEFENDS LEGALITY OF INVESTIGATION; Public Attention Is Essential in Combating Corruption, Lawyer Tells Critics HOGAN BACKS HEARINGS But Roberts Scores Actions -- Police Bid Businessmen End Giving of Gratuities Knapp Commission Chairman Defends Legality of Investigation - New York Times article: October 24, 1971]
- Knapp Urges a Permanent Body on Police Corruption to Succeed His Panel - New York Times article: October 25, 1971
- Knapp Witness to Tell of Lindsay Officials' Apathy; Witness Will Tell Knapp Panel Lindsay Officials Ignored Graft - New York Times article: October 30, 1971
- Leary Agrees to Be Knapp Witness - New York Times article: December 14, 1971
- Serpico's Lonely Journey to Knapp Witness Stand - New York Times article: December 15, 1971
- The Knapp Commission Didn't Know It Couldn't Be Done; The Knapp Commission - New York Times article: January 9, 1972
- Phillips, a Knapp Witness, Indicted in Two Murders; Phillips, Knapp Witness, Is Indicted - New York Times article: March 21, 1972
- KNAPP NOMINATED AS FEDERAL JUDGE; Head of Police Inquiry Unit One of Four Named Here - New York Times article: June 16, 1972
- Knapp Panel's Recommendation a Touchy Problem for Mayor and Governor - New York Times article: August 27, 1972
- KNAPP PANEL SAYS WALSH AND OTHERS IGNORED TIPS BY U.S. ON POLICE CRIMES; KRIEGEL IS SCORED - New York Times article: December 28, 1972
- 'SORT OF AN OLD GUY,' DEFINITIVELY A JUDGE; TURNING 90 DOES NOTHING TO TEMPER OPINIONS ISSUED BY WHITMAN KNAPP - New York TImes article: February 24, 1999
- Hon. John F. Keenan, A MAN FOR ALL DECADES, Fordham Urban Law Journal, Vol. 26, pp. 1407-1410 (May 1999).