Post by CCADP on Dec 10, 2005 11:39:52 GMT -5
Houston defense lawyer known for flashy style
The Chad Davis capital murder trial that has taken place over the past 2
weeks has pitted Brazos County's top prosecutor against a Houston attorney
who never before has represented a client in Brazos County.
District Attorney Bill Turner, 53, is known for never having lost a
capital murder case during his 2 decades in office and for his recognition
in 2004 as Texas Prosecutor of the Year.
But Dan Cogdell has spent the past 2 decades building a statewide
reputation of his own.
A former protege of legendary Texas trial lawyer Racehorse Haynes, Cogdell
recently earned the distinction of being the only defense attorney to win
an acquittal during the 2004 Enron barge trial.
Five other executives, most of whom were represented by a team of
high-priced New York lawyers hired by Merrill Lynch, were convicted.
It wasn't the 49-year-old's first high-profile win.
Among his more than 250 jury trials, he also has come out victorious in
the case against a Branch Davidian member, who survived the siege by FBI
agents, as well as the bribery trial of former district judge and Houston
City Councilman John Peavy Jr.
Described by his hometown paper, the Houston Chronicle, as "a flamboyant
gunslinger of a Texas criminal defense lawyer," Cogdell once shocked
himself with a cattle prod in court to successfully defend a man accused
of using one as a murder weapon.
"That was when I was younger, man," Cogdell said after court Wednesday,
after a reporter reminded him that a stun gun is believed to have been
involved in the Davis murder case.
A former president of the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association -
which voted him lawyer of the year in 1999 - Cogdell has shown up at the
Brazos County courthouse each day over the past two weeks with his hair
slicked back, a handkerchief tucked into his expensive suit jacket and a
yellow "LiveStrong" wristband peeking out beyond the sleeves of his
cuff-linked dress shirts.
During the questioning of one witness, he mentioned a common love for
amateur motorcycle racing. During the questioning of another witness - a
former girlfriend of Davis' who worked as a nanny - the single parent
commented about how he doesn't have nannies that good-looking in his
neighborhood.
Cogdell's style could be considered a stark contrast to that of Turner,
who has been lauded by attorneys from both sides of the aisle for his
ability to sway juries with his "country boy charm." Describing his
courtroom demeanor in 2002, Turner said, "There's nothing flashy about
it."
But that's not to say his technique also hasn't been effective. He has
prosecuted more than 90 felony jury trials during his 27-year career - 22
years of which have been in the county's top prosecutorial seat. Turner
also was 1 of 5 prosecutors included in Texas Lawyer's list of 135
"top-notch lawyers" in 2002.
He has garnered 13 death penalty convictions. But Turner won't be seeking
the death penalty in the Chad Davis case, he has said.
Cogdell declined to say this week how much he was charging for Chad Davis'
defense. However, Davis family patriarch Willie Davis said in a courtroom
in February that he needed a two-decades-old $237,000 personal injury
settlement paid off early in order to pay for his sons' defenses.
His other son facing capital murder charges, Trey Davis, is being
represented by another Houston attorney.
Turner and Cogdell are expected to face off Friday morning as they present
closing arguments for the conclusion of the Chad Davis trial.
(source: The Bryan-College Station Eagle)
The Chad Davis capital murder trial that has taken place over the past 2
weeks has pitted Brazos County's top prosecutor against a Houston attorney
who never before has represented a client in Brazos County.
District Attorney Bill Turner, 53, is known for never having lost a
capital murder case during his 2 decades in office and for his recognition
in 2004 as Texas Prosecutor of the Year.
But Dan Cogdell has spent the past 2 decades building a statewide
reputation of his own.
A former protege of legendary Texas trial lawyer Racehorse Haynes, Cogdell
recently earned the distinction of being the only defense attorney to win
an acquittal during the 2004 Enron barge trial.
Five other executives, most of whom were represented by a team of
high-priced New York lawyers hired by Merrill Lynch, were convicted.
It wasn't the 49-year-old's first high-profile win.
Among his more than 250 jury trials, he also has come out victorious in
the case against a Branch Davidian member, who survived the siege by FBI
agents, as well as the bribery trial of former district judge and Houston
City Councilman John Peavy Jr.
Described by his hometown paper, the Houston Chronicle, as "a flamboyant
gunslinger of a Texas criminal defense lawyer," Cogdell once shocked
himself with a cattle prod in court to successfully defend a man accused
of using one as a murder weapon.
"That was when I was younger, man," Cogdell said after court Wednesday,
after a reporter reminded him that a stun gun is believed to have been
involved in the Davis murder case.
A former president of the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association -
which voted him lawyer of the year in 1999 - Cogdell has shown up at the
Brazos County courthouse each day over the past two weeks with his hair
slicked back, a handkerchief tucked into his expensive suit jacket and a
yellow "LiveStrong" wristband peeking out beyond the sleeves of his
cuff-linked dress shirts.
During the questioning of one witness, he mentioned a common love for
amateur motorcycle racing. During the questioning of another witness - a
former girlfriend of Davis' who worked as a nanny - the single parent
commented about how he doesn't have nannies that good-looking in his
neighborhood.
Cogdell's style could be considered a stark contrast to that of Turner,
who has been lauded by attorneys from both sides of the aisle for his
ability to sway juries with his "country boy charm." Describing his
courtroom demeanor in 2002, Turner said, "There's nothing flashy about
it."
But that's not to say his technique also hasn't been effective. He has
prosecuted more than 90 felony jury trials during his 27-year career - 22
years of which have been in the county's top prosecutorial seat. Turner
also was 1 of 5 prosecutors included in Texas Lawyer's list of 135
"top-notch lawyers" in 2002.
He has garnered 13 death penalty convictions. But Turner won't be seeking
the death penalty in the Chad Davis case, he has said.
Cogdell declined to say this week how much he was charging for Chad Davis'
defense. However, Davis family patriarch Willie Davis said in a courtroom
in February that he needed a two-decades-old $237,000 personal injury
settlement paid off early in order to pay for his sons' defenses.
His other son facing capital murder charges, Trey Davis, is being
represented by another Houston attorney.
Turner and Cogdell are expected to face off Friday morning as they present
closing arguments for the conclusion of the Chad Davis trial.
(source: The Bryan-College Station Eagle)
