Spencer Lawton Jr. (July 19, 1943 – November 13, 2024) was an American attorney. He was district attorney for Chatham County, Georgia, between 1981 and 2008,[1] and for the Eastern Judicial Circuit.[2] He was known for serving as the prosecutor of preservationist James Arthur Williams in his trial for the alleged murder of Danny Hansford.
Spencer Lawton | |
|---|---|
| District attorney for Chatham County, Georgia | |
| In office 1981–2008 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 19, 1943 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Died | November 13, 2024 (aged 81) Savannah, Georgia, U.S. |
| Spouse |
Ann Woolner (m. 2008) |
| Children | 1 |
| Education | University of Georgia School of Law Tulane University |
| Occupation | Attorney, journalist |
Early life
editLawton was born on July 19, 1943 in Detroit, Michigan to Spencer Lawton Sr.[3][4] (1918–1999) and Sarah "Sally" Parker (1919–2017).[5][6] He was their eldest son. After being raised in Savannah, Georgia, Lawton moved with his family to Atlanta. He graduated from Woodberry Forest School in Orange, Virginia.[7]
He began at the University of Georgia School of Law (UGA) in 1961. He served in the U.S. Air Force between 1962 and 1966, studying at Tulane University and graduating with a science degree. He returned to UGA and graduated in 1971,[7] after which he began working for Lawton, Simple and Chamblee, a firm begun by his great-grandfather.[8]
Legal career
editIn 1976, with his college friend Michael Karpf, he established a firm and practiced general law.[8] In 1981, he became the district attorney for Chatham County, Georgia.[3]
Lawton came to prominence as the prosecutor of preservationist James Arthur Williams in his trial for the alleged murder of Danny Hansford, a story documented in John Berendt's 1994 book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.[9] Lawton was renamed Finley Largent in the 1997 movie adaptation, a role played by Bob Gunton. Lawton was assisted by Dep Kirkland in the first of the four trials.[10]
In 2008, Lawton was named District Attorney of the Year by the District Attorney's Association of Georgia.[2]
Upon his retirement, Lawton was succeeded by Larry Chisholm.[11] He later became a journalist for his hometown newspaper, Savannah Morning News.[12][13]
Personal life and death
editLawton married Ann Woolner in 2008.[6][3] They had a daughter.[3] Through his grandmother, he was a descendent of Spencer Proudfoot Shotter (1855–1920),[14] a Canadian business magnate. He was also a relative of Alexander Lawton, a Confederate Army general and lawyer.[15]
Lawton died on November 13, 2024 at his home in Savannah, Georgia from heart disease at the age of 81.[16][3]
References
edit- ^ "District attorney accused of retaliatory defamation is protected from suit, 11th Circuit says" – ABA Journal
- ^ a b "Lawton named DA of the year". The Daily Citizen. 2008-08-08. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
- ^ a b c d e "Spencer Lawton Jr., D.A. in 'Midnight in the Garden' Case, Dies at 81". The New York Times. November 21, 2024. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
- ^ Cooper, Polly Wylly (2002). Isle of Hope: Wormsloe and Bethesda. Arcadia Publishing. p. 29. ISBN 978-0-7385-1414-7.
- ^ "Spencer Lawton '40". Princeton Alumni Weekly. 2016-01-21. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
- ^ a b "Sarah Lawton Obituary (1919 - 2017) - Atlanta, GA - Savannah Morning News". Legacy.com. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
- ^ a b "Spencer Lawton, Jr. Obituary 2024". Gamble Funeral Service. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
- ^ a b Bradley, Helen P. "Former Chatham County DA Spencer Lawton, who prosecuted "Midnight" murder case, dies at 81". Savannah Morning News. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
- ^ Boehm, Mike; Times (2002-06-08). "A Former Lawyer Tries Something New". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
- ^ Kirkland, Dep (2022-02-24). ""Midnight" Marches On". Savannah Magazine. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
- ^ "Chatham County's new DA takes office". WTOC. 2009-01-03. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
- ^ Thomas, Regina. "Former lawmaker: Retired DA's remarks about Cook Jones 'insensitive and callous'". Savannah Morning News. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
- ^ Lawton, Spencer. "Georgia loses pioneer in criminal justice reform". Savannah Morning News. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
- ^ Berendt, John (1994). Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Knopf Doubleday. p. 206. ISBN 9780307538376.
- ^ Lawton, Laura C. (2015-07-13). Legendary Locals of Savannah. Arcadia Publishing. p. 49. ISBN 978-1-4396-5229-9.
- ^ "Spencer Lawton Jr". Legacy. Retrieved 17 November 2024.