F. Lee Bailey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
F. Lee Bailey
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Bailey in 1993
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| Born |
Francis Lee Bailey Jr.
June 10, 1933 Waltham, Massachusetts, U.S.
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| Died | June 3, 2021 (aged 87) Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
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| Education | |
| Occupation |
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| Employer | F. Lee Bailey Consulting |
| Known for | Defense attorney for:
Attorney for:
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| Television |
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| Spouse(s) |
Florence Gott
(m. 1960; div. 1961)Froma Portney (div. 1972) Lynda Hart
(m. 1972; div. 1980)Patricia Shiers
(m. 1985; died 1999) |
| Children | 3 |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service/ |
 United States Navy United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1952–1956 |
| Rank |  Second Lieutenant |
| Unit | VMFA-334 MAG-32 |
Francis Lee Bailey Jr. (born June 10, 1933 – died June 3, 2021) was a famous American lawyer. He was known for defending people in many important and well-known court cases. Bailey became famous for his work on the case of Sam Sheppard, a doctor accused of a crime. He also worked on other big cases, like those involving Patty Hearst and O. J. Simpson.
Bailey was a very skilled lawyer. He was part of the "Dream Team" that defended O. J. Simpson. Later in his career, he faced some legal issues himself. He eventually moved to Maine and worked as a consultant.
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Early Life and Education
Bailey was born on June 10, 1933, in Waltham, Massachusetts. His mother was a teacher, and his father sold advertisements. His parents divorced when he was ten years old.
He went to Harvard College but left in 1952 to join the United States Navy. Later, he moved to the United States Marine Corps. He became an officer and a jet fighter pilot. While in the military, he also started working as a legal officer for his squadron.
After his military service, Bailey went to Boston University School of Law in 1957. The school accepted his military experience instead of the usual college requirements. He was a brilliant student, earning the highest grades in the school's history. He graduated in 1960 as the top student in his class.
Famous Court Cases
F. Lee Bailey worked on many important cases throughout his career. He was known for his strong defense arguments and his ability to handle complex legal situations.
The Sam Sheppard Case
In 1954, a doctor named Sam Sheppard was found guilty of a crime. This case even inspired a TV show called The Fugitive. In the 1960s, Bailey was hired to help Sheppard appeal his conviction.
In 1966, Bailey successfully argued to the Supreme Court of the United States that Sheppard had not received a fair trial. This led to a new trial, where Sheppard was found not guilty. This case made Bailey famous and showed everyone he was a very talented defense lawyer.
The George Edgerly Case
Bailey became an expert in lie detector tests after studying at an institute in Chicago. He used this skill in the case of George Edgerly, who was accused of a crime. When Edgerly's first lawyer became sick, Bailey took over the defense. Edgerly was found not guilty. This case also helped inspire the TV series The Fugitive.
The Ernest Medina Case
In 1971, Bailey defended U.S. Army Captain Ernest Medina in a military trial. Captain Medina was accused of not stopping bad actions during the Vietnam War. Medina said he never ordered his soldiers to harm innocent people and that he didn't know what was happening until it was too late. Bailey successfully defended Medina, and he was found not guilty.
The Patty Hearst Case
One of Bailey's cases that didn't end in a win was the trial of Patty Hearst. She was a wealthy heiress who was kidnapped by a group called the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA). After her kidnapping, she took part in armed bank robberies.
Bailey defended Hearst, but she was found guilty and sentenced to prison. However, Bailey did help her avoid a possible death penalty. He made a deal with prosecutors for her to get immunity (protection from being charged) if she testified about another robbery. This saved her from a much more serious punishment. She was later pardoned by President Bill Clinton in 2001.
The O. J. Simpson Case
Bailey joined the defense team for former football player O. J. Simpson. Simpson was accused of serious crimes. Bailey was a key member of the "Dream Team" of lawyers defending Simpson.
Bailey became well-known for his questioning of a detective named Mark Fuhrman during the trial. This questioning helped to make the jury doubt Fuhrman's honesty. This was seen as a very important moment that helped lead to Simpson being found not guilty. Bailey also wrote a book about the Simpson trial.
The McCorkle Case
Bailey also defended William McCorkle, who, along with his wife Chantal, was accused of fraud in Florida. The McCorkles sold kits that claimed to show people how to get rich. However, they used fake advertisements, like showing off rented luxury cars and planes.
The McCorkles were found guilty. After appeals, their prison sentences were reduced.
Korean Air Lines Flight 007
Bailey took on a case for the families of people who died when Korean Air Lines Flight 007 was shot down in 1983. However, his law firm did not put in as much work as other firms on the case. He also caused some concern when he traveled to Libya to discuss defending people accused of another bombing, which seemed like a conflict of interest to some of his clients.
Koscot Interplanetary
Bailey was involved with companies called Koscot Interplanetary and Dare to be Great, which used a multi-level marketing system. In 1973, Bailey and others were accused of conspiracy and mail fraud. After a long trial, the jury could not agree, and the charges against Bailey were dropped.
Television Appearances
Besides his legal work, F. Lee Bailey also appeared on television. In 1967, he hosted a show called Good Company, where he interviewed celebrities in their homes. In 1983, he hosted another show called Lie Detector. On this show, guests were questioned by Bailey and then took a lie detector test.
Personal Life
F. Lee Bailey was married four times and had three sons. He moved to Georgia later in his life. After a period of illness, he passed away in Atlanta on June 3, 2021, at the age of 87.
Images for kids
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Patty Hearst mugshot
