E. Barrett Prettyman, Jr., Esquire
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Oral HistoryProject United States Courts The Historical Society of the District of Columbia Circuit District of Columbia Circuit _, E. Barrett Prettyman, Jr., Esquire Interviews conducted by: Robert H. Kapp, Esquire March 19, June 6, July 15, September 4, October 3, 1996, February 11 and May 14, 1997 TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface ...... Oral History Agreements E. Barrett Prettyman, Jr., Esq. iii-v Robert H. Kapp, Esq. vii-vii Biographical Sketches E. Barrett Prettyman, Jr., Esq. ix-xv Robert H. Kapp, Esq. xvii-xviii Oral History Transcript of Interviews March 19, 1996 •.••••••..•••••.••••••••.••••••.••••.••••••••• 1 June 6, 1996 ........••..••.•...........••••.•.•••.•..••..••. 30 July 15, 1996 •..••••••••.••••••.••••....••••.•.........•.••. 76 September 4, 1996 ••••.•.••••••.••••••.•.•• .-•• • . • . • • . • •• • • • 108 October 3, 1996 • . • • • .. • • •• . • • •• •• . •. • •• •. •. • . • •• . • •• • • • 133 February 11, 1997 •• • . .. .. .. .• • • • . .• • • . 171 May 14, 1997 •...•••••.•.••••••••••.....•••••.•............ 197 Index •.••.•••••...••.•.•.•..••••..••.•...••.......•••...•••.••• Al NOTE The followingpages record interviewsconducted on the dates indicated. The interviews were electronically recorded, and the transcriptions were subsequently reviewed and edited by theinterviewee. The contents hereof and all literary rights pertaining hereto are governed by, and are subjectto, the Oral HistoryAgreements included herewith. © 1998 Historical Societyof the Districtof Columbia Circuit. All rights reserved. PREFACE The goal of the Oral HistoryProject of the HistoricalSociety of the Districtof Columbia Circuit is to preserve the recollections of thejudges who sat on theU.S. Courts of the District of ColumbiaCircuit, andjudges' spouses, lawyers and courtstaff who played important roles in the history of the Circuit. The Project began in 1991. Most interviewswere conducted by volunteers who are members of the Barof the Districtof Columbia. Copies of thetranscripts of these and additionaldocuments as available- some of which may have been preparedin conjunctionwi th the oral history- are housed inthe Judges' Libraryin the E. BarrettPrettyman United States Courthouse, 333 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. Inquiriesmay be made of the Circuit Librarian as to whether the transcriptsare available at other locations. Such originalaudio tapes of the interviewsas exist, as well as the original3.5 11 diskettes of thetranscripts (in WordPerfectformat) are in the custody of the Circuit Executiveof theU.S. Courtsfor the District of Columbia Circuit. -i- December 18, 1997 Historical Society of the District of Columbia Circuit Interviewee Oral History Agreement I. In consideration of the recording and preservation of my oral history memoir by the Historical Society of the District of Columbia Circuit, Washington, D.C., and its employees and agents (hereinafter "the Society"), I, E. Barrett Prettyman, Jr., except as otherwise provided herein and in Schedule B attached hereto, do hereby grant and convey to the Society: and its successors and assigns all of my right, title, and interest in the tape recordings and transcripts of interviews of me as described in Schedule A hereto, including literary rights and copyrights. All copies of the tapes and transcripts are subject to the same restrictions, herein provided. 2. The foregoing transfer is subject to any exceptions specified in Schedule B hereto. 3. I also reserve the right to use the tapes and transcripts and their content as a resource for any book, pamphlet, article or other writing, including speeches, of which I am an authorityor co-author. 4. I authorize the Society, subject to any exceptions in Schedule B attached hereto, to duplicate, edit, publish, or permit the use of said tape recordings and transcripts in any manner that the Society considers appropriate, and I waive any claims I may have or acquire to any royalties from such use. �FS=-41 /::> \1�1,, E. Barrett Prettyman, Jr. Date SWORN TO ANDSUBSCRIBED before me this lS!dayofi,ero,,\:,,; 199'1 /NotarPt,_,_,,y PublicJ., A � Mycommissionexpires !Yi .;2i)o.:i... ACCEPTED this r,�f 199,&'by Daniel M. Gribbon, President of 1 4......., , the Historical Society of the Distric�bia Circuit. Daniel M. Gribbon -iii- December 18, 1997 Schedule A Tape recordings and transcript resulting from seven interviews conducted by Robert H, Kapp on the following dates: March 19, 1996 1 Tape, 29 pages (pp, 1-29) June 6, 1996 2 Tapes, 46 pages (pp, 30-75) July 15, 1996 1 Tape, 32 pages (pp, 76-107) September 4, 1996 1 Tape, 25 pages (pp, 108-132) October 3, 1996 1 Tape, 38 pages (pp. 133-170) February 11, 1997 1 Tape, 26 pages (pp. 171-196) May 14, 1997 1 Tape, 30 pages (pp. 197-226) -iv- November ,l 1994 Schedule B Exceotions to oral History Agreement (Please initial only those provisions that you wish to apply, and only it you wish to limit the use of your intervie�.) 1. The entire tape and transcript shall not be made available to anyone other than myself, the interviewer, and the Society without my express written pennission until ___________ (state· date or event]. 2 • The following page(s) and the tape relating thereto shall be closed to all users until---�-...,..,-,----.,,.. (state date or event],. except with my express written permission. 3. It is agreed that the Society shall not authorize publication of the transcript or any [substantial] part thereof during my lifetime without my express written pe?Tlission, but that the Society may authorize scholars, researchers and others to make brief quotations therefrom without my written permission. X 4, It is agreed that the Society shall not authorize publication by others of the transcript or any part thereof, including brief quotations, during my lifetime without my express written pennission. s. I retain all of my right, title, and interest in the tapes, transcripts and their content, including literary rights and copyrights, until (state date or event], at which time these rights shall vest in the Historical Society of the District of Columbia Circuit. 6. In the event of my incapacity, I designate Robert n. Kapp of 555 Thirteent""h Street NWr (name) (address) washinaton, DC 20004 to make decisions relatad to the use of ffiy oral history interview. Upon the death or incapacity of this deslgnee, I authorize the society to make such decisions on my behalf. 7. I impose the following add1�1onal conditions (describe]: -v- Interviewer Form Historical soeietv ot the District ot Columbia Circuit Interviewer oral History Agreement r-' 1. Having agreed to conduct an oral history interview with ,.,; •f>t$..r<71lr,ft'f,.,,,,_ .. ,JI"• tor the Historical Society of the District of Columbia Circuit, Washington, o.c., I, /foi,�A,..r- H· k-41'1" , do hereby grant and convey to the Society. and its successors and assigns, all of my right, title, and interest in the tape recordings and transcripts of interviews, as described in Schedule A hereto, including literary rights and copyrights. 2. I authorize the Society, to duplicate, edit, publish, or permit the use of sc,,id �apa reccrdings ar:d t�ar.scrip�s in a:i.:,· manner that the Society considers appropriate, and I waive any claims I may have or acquire to any royalties from such use. 3. I agree that I will make no use of the interview or the information contained therein until it is concluded and edited, or until I receive permission from the society. ,--,/._J ff/. ' Za >J Signature of Interview ate SNOW ?O AND SUBSCRIBED before me thisdO�day of , 199 -lt. V::J=,,, • < =Jc'. � Notary Public /cl(� DEAN NE P. LANGE z My commission expires,�-�N�-..,_J,�••�bii�,,.-,,om·M ri·��------ z: Commission ' : u,cc OJ Columbia fupUQ September H,, 1999 ACCEPTED this d._'i/!.day of�, l9J.:fby Daniel M. Gribbon, President of the H'storic Society of the District of Columbia Circuit. U Daniel M. Gribben -vii- December 18, 1997 Schedule A Tape recordings and transcript resulting fromseven interviews of E. Barrett Prettyman, Jr. on the following dates: March 19, 1996 1 Tape, 29 pages (pp. 1-29) June 6, 1996 2 Tapes, 46 pages (pp. 30-75) July 15, 1996 l Tape, 32 pages (pp. 76-107) September 4, 1996 l Tape, 25 pages (pp. 108-132) October 3, 1996 l Tape, 38 pages (pp. 133-170) February 11, 1997 l Tape, 26 pages (pp. 171-196) May 14, 1997 l Tape, 30 pages (pp. 197-226) -viii- E. BARRETT PRETTYMAN,JR . Bom: June I, 1925, Washington D. C. Secondary St. Albans School, Washington, D. C. Education: (graduated 1943) 1943 - 1945: 84th Division, 9th Anny (combat in Germany) 1945 - 1949: Yale University (B.A., 1949) 1949- '; 1950: Reporteron the ProvidenceJournal (Rhode [sland) 1950- 1953: University of Virginia Law School (LL.B., • 1953). Decisions Editor, Virginia Law Review; Winner of the 1953 Moot Court competition; Wmnerof the prize forbest Note inVolume 38, Virginia Law Review. 1953 • 1955: Law Clerk, successively, to Hon. Robert H. Jackson, Hon. Felix Frankfurterand Hon. JohnM. Harlan, Justices of the Supreme Courtof the United States 1955: Co-editor of Mr. Justice Jackson'spost humousvolume, ''lbeSupreme Court inthe AmericanSystem ofGovemment". 1955- 1963: Associate, law firmofHogan & Hartson, Washington,D. C. December 1962 - In charge of transportationfor the exchange April 1963: of $53 million worth of goodsfor I, 113 Bay of Pigs prisoners, including negotiations with Castro in Cuba. April 1963 - Special Assistant to the AttorneyGeneral July 1963: of theUnited States. July 1963 Special Assistantto the White House and April 1964: the President's representative on the lnteragencyCommittee on Transport Mergers. July 1, 1964 - Partner, Hogan & Hartson Present: -ix- 1·.'DC- 1:m:msss- ==01 Special Counsel co Committee on Standards of Official Conduct of the United Stales House of Representatives ("Elhics Committee�) in connection willt the so-called "ABSCAM" investigation, February 1980 to July 1981. Outside Counsel 10 Sub(ommitteeon Oversight and Investigations of the House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, in United States v. Am {1978). Special Consultant to Subcommitteeto Investigate Problems Connected wi!h Refugees and Escapees, of the Senate Judiciary Committee, on fact-finding trip 10 Vietnam, December 1967 - January 1968 (five weeks in Vietnam).