Partner Rickey Ivie spoke on behalf of the family of the late Judge Charles R. Scarlett as he was inducted into the Criminal Courts Building’s Wall of Fame on October 27, 2017. Judge Scarlett was an exceptional defense attorney, defending some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry, including Little Richard and James Brown. He was also involved in one of the most controversial cases of the 20th century, in which he successfully defended a man referred to in the media as a “Black Muslim” charged with the fatal stabbing of a white father of nine. Due to Judge Scarlett’s staunch defense, the judge in the case ordered that the defendant undergo hypnosis, take a polygraph test and be given sodium pentothal (known as truth serum) and later dismissed the case after receiving the results.
Located inside the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center, the Wall of Fame was created to honor the Los Angeles judges and lawyers whose outstanding conduct and professionalism made significant contributions to the criminal justice system during their lifetimes.
