James Aubrey Parker (January 8, 1937 – September 16, 2022) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico.
James Aubrey Parker | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico | |
| In office September 1, 2003 – September 16, 2022 | |
| Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico | |
| In office 2000–2003 | |
| Preceded by | John Edwards Conway |
| Succeeded by | Martha Vázquez |
| Judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico | |
| In office November 6, 1987 – September 1, 2003 | |
| Appointed by | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Howard C. Bratton |
| Succeeded by | Judith C. Herrera |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 8, 1937 Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | September 16, 2022 (aged 85) |
| Education | Rice University (BA) University of Texas (LLB) |
Education and career
editBorn in Houston, Texas, Parker received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rice University in 1959 and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Texas School of Law in 1962. He was in private practice in Albuquerque, New Mexico, from 1962 to 1987.[1]
Federal judicial service
editOn July 10, 1987, Parker was nominated by President Ronald Reagan to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico vacated by Judge Howard C. Bratton. Parker was confirmed by the United States Senate on November 5, 1987, and received his commission on November 6, 1987. He served as Chief Judge from 2000 to 2003, assuming senior status on September 1, 2003.[1]
He was involved in the Wen Ho Lee nuclear espionage case. He later apologized to Dr. Lee for the unfair manner in which he was treated. He wrote that he regretted being misled by the executive branch into ordering Dr. Lee's detention, stating that he was led astray by the Department of Justice, by its FBI, and by its United States attorney. He formally denounced the government for abuse of power in its prosecution of the case.[2][3][4] Later, President Bill Clinton remarked that he had been "troubled" by the way Dr. Lee was treated.[5][6][7]
Parker died on September 16, 2022, at the age of 85.[8]
References
edit- ^ a b "Parker, James Aubrey - Federal Judicial Center". www.fjc.gov.
- ^ James A. Parker (2000-09-13). "Full Text of Remarks of Judge James A. Parker". WenHoLee.org. Archived from the original on 2009-10-27. Retrieved 2009-07-27.
- ^ NYTimes (Sept. 14, 2000), "Statement by Judge in Los Alamos Case, With Apology for Abuse of Power", The New York Times
- ^ Jeremy Wu (March 12, 2018), "Revisiting Judge Parker’s Apology to Dr. Wen Ho Lee", Linkedin
- ^ Staff (September 15, 2000). "Clinton 'Troubled' by Wen Ho Lee Case". ABC News. Retrieved January 29, 2018.
- ^ Paul Farhi (June 3, 2006), "U.S., Media Settle With Wen Ho Lee", The Washington Post, p. A1
- ^ Matthew Purdy (Feb. 4, 2001), "The Making of a Suspect: The Case of Wen Ho Lee", The New York Times
- ^ "Longtime federal NM judge dies at 85". www.abqjournal.com. September 16, 2022. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
Sources
edit- James Aubrey Parker at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.