William B. Bryant
Encyclopedia
William B. Bryant was a United States
federal judge
and chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the first black chief federal judge. He was appointed on July 12, 1965, by President Lyndon B. Johnson. He studied political science at Howard University
, graduating in 1932. Bryant received his law degree
from Howard University School of Law
, graduating first in his class, in 1939. Following law school, he served as chief research assistant to Ralph Bunche
, then Chair of the Department of Political Science at Howard, while Bunche worked with Gunnar Myrdal
on his 1944 study of American race relations An American Dilemma
.
, Bryant entered private practice in Washington, D.C in 1948. At the time, the DC Bar was still closed to African Americans. When Bryant left private practice briefly to serve in the U.S. Attorney's office he was one of the first black prosecutors in federal court in Washington, D.C.
Returning to private practice in 1954, he handled a number of prominent cases as a criminal defense lawyer. In 1957, he took a case to the Supreme Court
, Mallory v. United States. In the case, Andrew Roosevelt Mallory, 19, had confessed to rape after 7½ hours of interrogation in a police station, was convicted, and sentenced to death. In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court overturned Mallory's conviction because his arraignment was not accomplished "without unnecessary delay," violating the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. The case's holding formed the basis of the "McNabb-Mallory rule
," a U.S. rule of evidence superseded by the broader protections later outlined by the Supreme Court in Miranda v. Arizona
. While in private practice, Bryant was also a law professor at Howard.
. Bryant scheduled a new election to be held in December 1972 and required that the Department of Labor
oversee the election to ensure fairness. The winner of the disputed vote, W. A. Boyle, was defeated in the ensuing election and later convicted of the murder.
Judge Bryant held in 1975 that Washington's height requirement for firefighters was illegal, in 1979 that the government's searches of the offices of the Church of Scientology
were unconstitutional, and was the first judge to order President Richard M. Nixon to turn over his audiotapes in connection with civil lawsuits. In Inmates of D.C. Jail v. Jackson, he found that conditions in D.C. jails violated the Eighth Amendment's
ban on "cruel and unusual punishment," and famously complained that he had listened to corrections officials' promises of improvement "since the Big Dipper was a thimble."
He continued to hear cases until a few months before his death in 2005 at the age of 94. In 2003, his fellow judges at the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia requested that the new annex at the E. Barrett Prettyman United States Courthouse
be named after him, a proposal signed into law by President George W. Bush
just two days before Judge Bryant's death in 2005.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
federal judge
Federal judge
Federal judges are judges appointed by a federal level of government as opposed to the state / provincial / local level.-Brazil:In Brazil, federal judges of first instance are chosen exclusively by public contest...
and chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the first black chief federal judge. He was appointed on July 12, 1965, by President Lyndon B. Johnson. He studied political science at Howard University
Howard University
Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
, graduating in 1932. Bryant received his law degree
Law degree
A Law degree is an academic degree conferred for studies in law. Such degrees are generally preparation for legal careers; but while their curricula may be reviewed by legal authority, they do not themselves confer a license...
from Howard University School of Law
Howard University School of Law
Howard University School of Law is one of the professional graduate schools of Howard University. Located in Washington, D.C., it is one the oldest law schools in the country and the oldest historically black college or university law school in the United States...
, graduating first in his class, in 1939. Following law school, he served as chief research assistant to Ralph Bunche
Ralph Bunche
Ralph Johnson Bunche or 1904December 9, 1971) was an American political scientist and diplomat who received the 1950 Nobel Peace Prize for his late 1940s mediation in Palestine. He was the first person of color to be so honored in the history of the Prize...
, then Chair of the Department of Political Science at Howard, while Bunche worked with Gunnar Myrdal
Gunnar Myrdal
Karl Gunnar Myrdal was a Swedish Nobel Laureate economist, sociologist, and politician. In 1974, he received the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences with Friedrich Hayek for "their pioneering work in the theory of money and economic fluctuations and for their penetrating analysis of the...
on his 1944 study of American race relations An American Dilemma
An American Dilemma
An American Dilemma: The Negro Problem and Modern Democracy is a 1944 study of race relations authored by Swedish economist Gunnar Myrdal and funded by The Carnegie Foundation. The foundation chose Myrdal because it thought that as a non-American, he could offer a more unbiased opinion...
.
Legal Career
After serving in the U.S. Army and reaching the rank of lieutenant colonelLieutenant 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...
, Bryant entered private practice in Washington, D.C in 1948. At the time, the DC Bar was still closed to African Americans. When Bryant left private practice briefly to serve in the U.S. Attorney's office he was one of the first black prosecutors in federal court in Washington, D.C.
Returning to private practice in 1954, he handled a number of prominent cases as a criminal defense lawyer. In 1957, he took a case to the Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
, Mallory v. United States. In the case, Andrew Roosevelt Mallory, 19, had confessed to rape after 7½ hours of interrogation in a police station, was convicted, and sentenced to death. In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court overturned Mallory's conviction because his arraignment was not accomplished "without unnecessary delay," violating the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. The case's holding formed the basis of the "McNabb-Mallory rule
McNabb-Mallory rule
The McNabb-Mallory rule refers to the U.S. rule of evidence that a confession is inadmissible if obtained during an unreasonably long period of detention between arrest and preliminary hearing. The rule was largely superseded by the broader protections provided for under the Miranda...
," a U.S. rule of evidence superseded by the broader protections later outlined by the Supreme Court in Miranda v. Arizona
Miranda v. Arizona
Miranda v. Arizona, , was a landmark 5–4 decision of the United States Supreme Court. The Court held that both inculpatory and exculpatory statements made in response to interrogation by a defendant in police custody will be admissible at trial only if the prosecution can show that the defendant...
. While in private practice, Bryant was also a law professor at Howard.
Judicial Career
While on the bench, Judge Bryant presided over numerous high-profile cases. In May 1972, he threw out the results of the 1969 United Mine Workers of America union elections, after allegations of fraud and the murder of losing candidate Joseph YablonskiJoseph Yablonski
Joseph Albert "Jock" Yablonski was an American labor leader in the United Mine Workers in the 1950s and 1960s. He was murdered in 1969 by killers hired by a union political opponent, Mine Workers president W. A. Boyle...
. Bryant scheduled a new election to be held in December 1972 and required that the Department of Labor
United States Department of Labor
The United States Department of Labor is a Cabinet department of the United States government responsible for occupational safety, wage and hour standards, unemployment insurance benefits, re-employment services, and some economic statistics. Many U.S. states also have such departments. The...
oversee the election to ensure fairness. The winner of the disputed vote, W. A. Boyle, was defeated in the ensuing election and later convicted of the murder.
Judge Bryant held in 1975 that Washington's height requirement for firefighters was illegal, in 1979 that the government's searches of the offices of the Church of Scientology
Church of Scientology
The Church of Scientology is an organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the Scientology belief system. The Church of Scientology International is the Church of Scientology's parent organization, and is responsible for the overall ecclesiastical management, dissemination and...
were unconstitutional, and was the first judge to order President Richard M. Nixon to turn over his audiotapes in connection with civil lawsuits. In Inmates of D.C. Jail v. Jackson, he found that conditions in D.C. jails violated the Eighth Amendment's
Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution
The Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution is the part of the United States Bill of Rights which prohibits the federal government from imposing excessive bail, excessive fines or cruel and unusual punishments. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that this amendment's Cruel and Unusual...
ban on "cruel and unusual punishment," and famously complained that he had listened to corrections officials' promises of improvement "since the Big Dipper was a thimble."
He continued to hear cases until a few months before his death in 2005 at the age of 94. In 2003, his fellow judges at the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia requested that the new annex at the E. Barrett Prettyman United States Courthouse
E. Barrett Prettyman United States Courthouse
The E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse is a historic building in Washington, D.C. It was built in 1949–50 and currently houses both the United States District Court for the District of Columbia and the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.-Significance:The...
be named after him, a proposal signed into law 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....
just two days before Judge Bryant's death in 2005.