Jim Lane, a longtime Texas lawyer recognized for defending cops and troopers accused of misconduct, died on Sunday — the day earlier than the long-delayed murder trial for his shopper, former Fort Value police Officer Aaron Dean, was scheduled to start.
Lane was 78. His dying was confirmed on Twitter by Fort Value Police Officers’ Affiliation President Manny Ramirez, who mentioned the lawyer’s impression “will likely be felt for generations in Fort Value and Tarrant County.” WFAA-TV reported Lane, additionally a former member of the Fort Value Metropolis Council, was receiving hospice care after being injured in a fall a number of days in the past.
Lane was the lead protection lawyer for Dean, who’s going through a murder charge over the October 2019 taking pictures of Atatiana Jefferson.
Jefferson, 28, was staying at her mom’s home when a neighbor referred to as a nonemergency line to report the house’s door was open and its lights have been on. Authorities have mentioned Dean didn’t determine himself as a police officer earlier than fatally taking pictures Jefferson.
After a number of earlier delays — together with one partly resulting from Lane’s poor well being — jury choice for Dean’s trial was resulting from start Monday. It’s unclear how Lane’s dying will have an effect on the timing of the trial or whether or not state District Courtroom Choose George Gallagher, who’s overseeing the trial, will grant one other extension.
State District Choose David Hagerman, who beforehand oversaw the case, had expressed frustration with the continued delays and signaled Dean’s protection staff must be able to defend the previous officer with or with out Lane.
Lane practiced regulation for 4 a long time, beforehand working as a JAG officer within the U.S. Military, the place he attained the rank of Captain. Throughout his time within the Military, Lane defended soldiers going through courtroom martial for the 1968 My Lai bloodbath of a whole bunch of civilians in the course of the Vietnam Battle. Lane’s purchasers have been acquitted.
In keeping with an obituary in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Lane was born in Uvalde however usually visited his grandparents, who lived close to Fort Value. His household finally moved to Fort Value, the place he graduated from Texas Christian College with a bachelor’s diploma in 1966. He obtained his regulation diploma from Baylor College.
After graduating from Baylor, Lane briefly studied aviation regulation at Southern Methodist College earlier than he bought drafted. After a while defending servicemen going through drug prices as a navy lawyer, Lane bought a discover for a brand new project: to defend Sgt. Charles Edward Hutto and different troopers accused of participating in My Lai.
Making ready for his protection of Hutto, Lane mentioned he got here to comprehend the impact the Military’s coaching had on its troopers’ psychology and their notion of the enemy as lower than human. That coaching made the bloodbath “inevitable,” Lane mentioned a long time later.
“They’d been skilled to dehumanize their enemies,” Lane informed the Star-Telegram in 1999. “It actually was awakening. I wakened at some point and realized what I used to be in wasn’t what my mom and daddy informed me about World Battle II and Korea. There was one thing terribly fallacious right here, and we weren’t telling the reality.”
Hutto and Lane’s different purchasers have been acquitted; Lt. William Calley was the lone soldier convicted for his position within the bloodbath in 1971. However My Lai reminiscences continued to hang-out Lane a long time later.
“One available, I used to be very pleased with myself as a lawyer, like all attorneys are as a result of that’s what I used to be skilled to do,” he informed the Star-Telegram in 1993, as he was making ready his profitable run for the Fort Value metropolis council. “Then again, I used to be in a complete state of shock as a result of each time I noticed a lady with a child on her hip all I might take into consideration was one in every of my purchasers who … had shot some girls and one of many girls was standing there with a child on her hip.”
Lane served in his council place, the place he represented the town’s north aspect, for 12 years.
All through his life, Lane was a robust supporter of Fort Value tradition. As a councilman in 2005, he made headlines when promotional materials for the O’Reilly 300 Busch collection race incorrectly listed the Texas Motor Speedway as being in Dallas. Lane, whose district included the speedway, began a letter-writing marketing campaign to name out O’Reilly Auto Components for the error.
“I would love the great residents of Fort Value to remind them that the Texas Motor Speedway is in Fort Value,” Lane mentioned on the time, in response to an April 2005 version of the Star-Telegram. “… Whilst you’re at it, write the president of American Airways and ask him to show his pilots and flight attendants to not welcome folks dwelling to Dallas.”
