| |
| |
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
|
WHEREAS, Admired attorney Jeff Blackburn died on February 7, |
|
|
2023, at the age of 65, bringing a great loss to his family, his |
|
|
friends, and the legal community; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Mr. Blackburn was born on May 1, 1957, in Amarillo; |
|
|
he earned his law degree from the University of Houston and |
|
|
subsequently began practicing law in his hometown in 1983; in 1988, |
|
|
he became board certified as a specialist in criminal law; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Throughout his exemplary career, Mr. Blackburn |
|
|
worked tirelessly representing the poor and disadvantaged in |
|
|
criminal and civil rights cases across the State of Texas, and he |
|
|
also spearheaded a number of significant criminal justice reform |
|
|
efforts in Texas; two of his most celebrated cases were the Tulia |
|
|
Drug Bust of 1999, where he secured the pardon of 38 defendants, and |
|
|
the posthumous exoneration of Tim Cole, who had been falsely |
|
|
convicted and died in prison; in 2006, he founded the Innocence |
|
|
Project of Texas and served as its chief counsel until 2015; in |
|
|
recognition of his many accomplishments, he received a multitude of |
|
|
awards, including the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyer of the Year |
|
|
award, the Frank Spurlock Award, and the Warren Burnett Award, and |
|
|
he was also honored by numerous civil rights groups, such as the |
|
|
American Civil Liberties Union, the National Association for the |
|
|
Advancement of Colored People, the League of United Latin American |
|
|
Citizens, and the Texas Civil Rights Project; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Mr. Blackburn eventually moved to New Mexico with |
|
|
his partner, Jessy Tyler, and while there, he created the Rio Grande |
|
|
Regional Justice Project; in his free time, he enjoyed traveling, |
|
|
reading, organic farming, listening to good music, and engaging in |
|
|
great conversation; moreover, he was a devoted father to his two |
|
|
sons, Sam and John; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Jeff Blackburn was a powerful advocate for his |
|
|
clients and for criminal justice reform, and although he will be |
|
|
greatly missed by those he left behind, they will forever remember |
|
|
his dedication, his generosity, and his passion for life; now, |
|
|
therefore, be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
|
|
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Jeff Blackburn and |
|
|
extend sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his |
|
|
sons, Sam and his wife, Scotney, and John; to his grandchildren, |
|
|
Archer and Oliver; to his partner, Jessy Tyler; and to the many |
|
|
others who mourn his passing; and, be it further |
|
|
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|
|
prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
|
|
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Jeff |
|
|
Blackburn. |