F. Lee Bailey
Interview by Jeff Burger - June 1, 2009
F. Lee Bailey argued his way into the American consciousness, having directed the defense at many of the most talked-about criminal trials of the last half century. He represented Albert DeSalvo, the so-called Boston Strangler, as well as Dr. Sam Sheppard, the man widely believed to be the inspiration for the TV series The Fugitive. He also defended Patty Hearst and Watergate burglar James McCord. He was the supervisory attorney in the My Lai Massacre court-martial of Captain Ernest Medina. And he was on O.J. Simpson’s “dream team.”
Bailey won many of his famous cases, but he has also had notable losses– and at least one big career setback. That came when the government demanded possession of securities owned by one of his clients. Bailey insisted that he was entitled to appreciation in the stock as payment for his legal fees–and wound up going to prison for contempt for 44 days in 2000. The case resulted in his disbarment in Florida and Massachusetts. (He’s currently trying to regain his license to practice law.)
We asked Bailey about that experience, as well as about some of his biggest cases. We also talked about his relatively little-known but lifelong passion for business aviation, which led him–among other things–to earn a pilot’s license; acquire a dozen aircraft; become an airport manager; launch a Cessna dealership; work as a sales rep for Learjet; serve as executive director of an air-traffic-controllers organization; run a helicopter company; and launch a flight school for minorities.
The following interview doesn’t reveal how he found time to do all this–not to mention write 17 books–while also managing his high-powered legal practice. It does, however, cover why he still believes O.J. Simpson didn’t kill anyone; which of his cases he found toughest and most satisfying; how he came to own the helicopter company; and what career he’d choose if he could start over.
When did you begin using business aviation?
Law school. I was a private investigator working for lawyers preparing for trial. I used to take aerial photos for them by renting a [Cessna] 172 and letting the slipstream keep the window open while I took shots.
Then, the minute I passed the bar, I bought a 172. I flew that until a lender offered me a repossessed Cessna 310 if I would pick up the payments. I had rebuilt two airplanes when I was in the service and I rebuilt this one. Then [my law practice] started to take off and in an article in Life magazine I said, “What I really need is a Learjet.” Immediately after that hit the streets, I was in St. Paul and a Learjet [Model 23] showed up. A guy jumped out and said, “Bill Lear asked me to show you this airplane.”
I bought it, and we got the factory to upgrade it because Bill had hired me to promote the Learjet. I also had a Merlin IV, which is a [Fairchild Swearingen] Metroliner tricked up for executives.
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