San Francisco

Melvin Belli

 Natalie is going to live in San Francisco after she graduates in June.  Here's a San Francisco story I remember well.

Jay and I went to Los Angeles for a Trial Lawyers convention.  At the opening cocktail party someone came up to me and asked: “Would you like to meet Melvin Belli?”  I didn’t know who Melvin Belli was but I said “sure.”

When Jay and his partner Joe Cohen saw who I was with, they came right over.  They certainly knew of “The King of Torts.”  Belli had a long list of celebrity clients.  And he took his place in American history by defending Jack Ruby after he shot Lee Harvey Oswald.

Belli practiced in San Francisco.  He was top dog in that town.  “You have to come up after the Convention.  I’ll show you a great time.”  And so a group of us drove up the Coast.  Belli came through for us splendidly.  

One young attorney who worked for Belli was particularly friendly and made sure we were treated royally wherever we went. Years later I noticed his name in the headlines.  He was with Jayne Mansfield when they both died in a fatal car crash.