John Burris facts for kids

John Leonard Burris (born May 8, 1945) is an American civil rights attorney. He is based in Oakland, California. Mr. Burris is well-known for his work on cases involving police brutality. He represents people who have been treated unfairly by police. His law firm also handles cases about jobs, criminal defense, and personal injuries.

John Burris became very well known when he represented Rodney King. He helped Mr. King in his lawsuit against the Los Angeles Police Department. Mr. Burris won $3.8 million for Mr. King. Since then, he has worked on many important cases against police departments in California. These include the "Oakland Riders" case. In that case, a group of officers were found to be planting false evidence. This led to a $10.9 million settlement. It also caused the federal government to watch over the Oakland Police Department.

Mr. Burris also represented Celeste Guap. He helped her in cases against Northern California Police Departments. Some officers had taken advantage of her when she was underage. Mr. Burris won a $989,000 settlement for Ms. Guap. This was against the Oakland Police Department.

He also won an $11.3 million judgment against the San Jose Police Department. This happened after an officer shot Hung Lam. The shooting caused Mr. Lam to become paralyzed.

John Burris also represented the mother of Oscar Grant. Her lawsuit was against the BART Police. They settled the case for $1.3 million. A BART officer shot 22-year-old Oscar Grant. This happened while he was handcuffed on a train platform in Oakland, California in 2009. The story of this case was later shown in the movie "Fruitvale Station".

Mr. Burris also represents Mario Woods' mother. Her case is against the San Francisco Police Department. Officers were filmed shooting her son, Mario Woods, in 2015. This event caused large protests. It also led to the police chief resigning.

Burris has also represented famous clients. These include Tupac Shakur, Latrell Sprewell, Gary Payton, Keyshawn Johnson, and Barry Bonds.

Early Life and Education

John Burris was born in May 1945 in Vallejo, California. He finished Vallejo High School in 1963. He went to Solano Community College in the mid-1960s. Later, he earned a bachelor's degree in accounting from Golden Gate University.

Mr. Burris then went to UC Berkeley. He earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in 1970. He also earned a law degree (Juris Doctor) from UC Berkeley School of Law in 1973. After law school, he worked for a law firm in Chicago. He became a member of the California Bar in 1976. This meant he could practice law in California.

Career Highlights and Important Cases

John Burris began working on police misconduct cases in 1979. He was an investigator for the district attorney's office. He worked on a case involving the death of 15-year-old Melvin Black. Mr. Burris wrote a book in 1999 called Blue vs. Black. This book is about police misconduct.

Burris has won millions of dollars for his clients. He has filed hundreds of lawsuits against police departments. This includes the $3.8 million he won for Rodney King.

Melvin Black Case

On March 17, 1979, a teenager named Melvin Black died in Oakland, California. The community was very upset. The city leaders asked Mr. Burris to investigate. After five months, his investigation found that the evidence did not match what the officers said.

Rodney King Civil Trial

Mr. Burris's work became widely known when he represented Rodney King. He helped Mr. King in his civil rights lawsuit against the Los Angeles Police Department. Mr. Burris won $3.8 million for Mr. King.

Oakland Riders Case

Mr. Burris has represented people in many important lawsuits against police departments. One major case was the "Oakland Riders" case. This case settled for $10.9 million. It involved a group of Oakland officers who were found to be planting false evidence on citizens. This led to the federal government watching over the Oakland Police Department even today.

Oscar Grant Case

John Burris also represented Oscar Grant's mother. Her lawsuit was against the BART Police. The case settled for $1.3 million. A BART officer shot 22-year-old Oscar Grant in 2009. This happened while he was handcuffed on a train platform in Oakland, California. The events of this case were later shown in the movie "Fruitvale Station". The movie starred Michael B. Jordan and won several awards.

Mario Woods Case

Burris represented Mario Woods' mother. Her case was against the San Francisco Police Department. A video showed officers shooting her son, Mario Woods, in 2015. This event caused large protests in the Bay Area. It also led to the resignation of the SFPD Chief of Police.

Celeste Guap Case

John Burris recently represented Celeste Guap. He helped her in cases against Northern California Police Departments. This was because some officers had taken advantage of her when she was underage. Mr. Burris won a $989,000 settlement for Ms. Guap. This was against the Oakland Police Department. The officers involved also faced legal action for their actions.

Brandon T. Case

In 1996, Mr. Burris helped a six-year-old boy named Brandon T. for free. The boy from Richmond, California was accused of a serious crime. This case was widely reported in the news.

Agustin Gonsalez Case

In March 2021, Mr. Burris and his colleague announced a $3.3 million settlement. This was for a lawsuit against the city of Hayward, California. Burris represented the family of Agustin Gonsalez. Mr. Gonsalez tragically died after an encounter with two Hayward police officers in 2018. The officers were responding to a call about a man threatening people. The family reported that Mr. Gonsalez was going through a mental health crisis.

Personal Life

John Burris is married to Cheryl Amana-Burris. She is a law professor at North Carolina Central University. They live in Oakland Hills, Oakland, California.

Awards and Honors

John Burris has received many awards for his work. These awards recognize his dedication to civil rights and justice.

• Dr. Huey P. Newton Trail Blazer & Legacy Award (June 2018)
• Mount Zion Baptist Church Scholarship Foundation Education and Community Service Award (June 2018)
• Love Not Blood Campaign Unsung Hero (2017)
• The National Bar Association Hall of Fame Inductee (2017)
• California Legislative Black Caucus Civil Rights Leadership Award (January 2017)
• The Global Directory of Who's Who Top Lawyer Lifetime Member (2016)
• NATIONAL “40” ASSEMBLY of THE LINKS’ CO -FOUNDER’S AWARD (June 2016)
• Eddie Walker Foundation's Life Time Achievement Award for Social Justice (June 2016)
• The Bishop Richard Allen Award for Excellence in Social Justice (2016)
• Parks Chapel AME Church's Community Service Award (February 2016)
• Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, Berkeley Alumni's Chapter, “Knowledge is Power-for Civil Rights Advocacy and Community Service Award” (January 2016)
• The Saint Leo School “The Great Hero Award” (June 2015)
• National Academy of Personal Injury Attorneys—2015 Nationally Ranked top 10 attorney Award
• San Mateo Bar Association, — Community Service Award (October 2015)
• Merritt College’s Presidents Excellence Award (June 2011)
• Charles Houston’s Hall of Fame award (December 2015)
• National Bar Association Vince Monroe Townsend Legacy Award (July 2015)
• National Lawyers Guild, San Francisco Chapter’s Champion of Justice Award (March 2015)
• John F. Kennedy University Black Law Students Association (2013)
• Legal Leader San Francisco Top Rated Lawyers of 2013
• San Francisco Chronicle Profile “Powerhouse Behind Police Reform” (September 2012)
• Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Western Province, Keynote Speaker Appreciation Award (2012)
• EMPIRE COLLEGE SCHOOL OF LAW, Token Appreciation for law School Commencement Address (2012)
• Merritt College President’s Excellence Award (2011)
• National Bar Association’s Heman Marion Sweatt Award (March 2011)
• Golden Gate University ‘ Profile in Prominence (2011)
• Solano County's Council of Negro Women Achievement Award (February 2011)
• Solano Community college: Living the Dream Achievement Award (2011)
• National Council of Negro Women, Inc. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Breakfast (2011)
• San Francisco Daily Journal's Top 100 Leading Lawyers in California (2009)
• National Bar Association's C. Francis Stradford Award
• 100 Black Men Achievement Award Bay Area- Lifetime Achievement (December 2008)
• California Association of Equal Rights Professionals (June 2008)
• North Carolina Achievement Award For Justice Presented By The American Justice Association (June 2008)
• Arthur A. Fletcher Lifetime Achievement Award (July 2008)
• Keeper of the Torch Award (September 2006)
• Courage Award (October 2007)
• Top 100 Influential Lawyers in California (September 2005)
• 9th Congressional District Resolution for Achievement as Civil Rights Lawyer and Community Service (June 2005)
• Tribute on 60th birthday from the Alameda County Board of Supervisors (June 2005)
• 16th Assembly District Resolution on 60th birthday (June 2005)
• Certificate of Appreciation, HUD- Regional Office (February 2004)
• Clinton White Outstanding Trial Advocacy Award (December 2003)
• 2003 Peace and Justice Award (May 2003)
• The Black American Writer's Scholarship Role Model Peace Award (2003)
• Local Hero Award, PUEBLO Annual Dinner (2001)