09/07/2026
I practiced only criminal law my first 3 years as an attorney - 1 year as a public defender, 2 years as a prosecutor.
A former client was involved in a multi-car crash in Dallas on the Stemmons Freeway. Alcohol was allegedly involved. In spite of his obvious head injury, Dallas County police roughed him up and denied him medical treatment at the scene or even once at police headquarters.
He called wanting me to represent him. I am not licensed in TX. But I said I would help find him a Dallas criminal defense attorney.
This was pre-civilian internet.
Someone suggested I speak with a Henry Wade. I was told that Mr. Wade had been Dallas County D.A. "for many years" and was considered "the Dean of criminal law in Dallas County."
Mr. Wade and I had a long phone conversation. While we still spoke I had decided definitely to recommend Mr. Wade to the client.
Towards the end of the conversation I said, "Mr. Wade, I am not licensed in Texas, but if I were handling this case in New Jersey, I would call for a meeting with the municipal prosecutor and the municipal counsel, at which meeting I would say, 'You have a criminal law claim against my client, but my client has federal civil rights claims against your cops and your town for roughing him up and denying him even basic medical treatment. But I can probably persuade him to waive the civil rights claims if the criminal charges are dropped.'"
Mr. Wade said, "That would never fly down here [pronounced 'hee-uh']. All of the Assistant D.A's here used to work for me, and if Ol' Henry Wade were to pull that stunt [his word], it would not go well for your client."
*ouch*
I said, "Well, Mr. Wade, that's why the client needs an attorney down there who knows the lay of the land and the cast of characters."
On my recommendation the client hired Henry Wade.
Then guess what 'Ol Henry Wade did.
Yep. He did exactly what I had suggested.
And guess what the result was.
Yep. The Asst. D.A. on the case got all butthurt that Ol' Henry Wade would pull a stunt like that and refused to plea bargain. "Your client pleads to all charges as charged, or we try the case."
Long story short: On my recommendation the client fired Ol' Henry Wade and hired a new lawyer. New lawyer filed and won a Motion arguing that the Dallas County D.A. had "abused its prosecutorial discretion" when it refused to plea bargain, at which point the D.A.'s office was over a barrel and offered a sweet plea deal.
Pre-civilian internet I only knew that Henry Wade had been Dallas County D.A. "for many years." I did not realize "many years" meant 1951 to 1988. Ol' Henry Wade was Dallas County D.A. on November 22, 1963. Ol' Henry Wade sat in an interrogation room and watched Dallas County police question L.H. Oswald. If you have seen Oliver Stone's "JFK," you have eyeballed and earballed Ol' Henry Wade.
