Gladys Root

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Gladys Towles Root (1905–1982) was a successful criminal defense attorney in Los Angeles, California known for her piercing cross-examinations. Root was forced to specialize in sexual assault and murder cases because no other work was available to her.

1 Childhood, Legal education and early practice
2 Legal career
3 Death
4 External links
5 References

[edit] Childhood, Legal education and early practice

Root was the daughter of Clara Dexter Towles and Charles Towles of Los Angeles. She was born in 1905 and grew up in comfortable surroundings.

There were very few women practising law when Root graduated from USC School of Law in 1930. Root was unable to obtain employment and decided to open her own practice.

Gladys Towles Root opened her office at At 212 South Hill Street, Los Angeles California, the former location of the legendary Rainbow Saloon.

Because no other work was available to her, Root began defending rape and murder cases. She became so skilled that by the early 1960's young prosecutors and defense attorneys would gather to watch her cross-examination of prosecuting witnesses.

Root also became known for her dramatic wardrobe, which featured hats, purple dresses and high collars. Gladys Towles Root wore dresses so tight she had to take mincing steps when she walked. She loved to drape herself in furs and cover herself with sequins. Her hats were famously gigantic and so was her jewelry. Under those hats, her hair was often colored a gaudy hue to match her outfits, with Mercurochrome and Easter egg dye. A cloud of perfume always drifted in her wake.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Legal career

Root served as president of the Southern California Women Lawyers in 1945. In July of 1964 an indictment was issued against Gladys by the Federal Grand Jury in connection with her actions during her defense of one of the defendants in the kidnapping case of Frank Sinatra, Jr., the teenage son of Frank Sinatra. Three men had kidnapped Frank Sinatra Jr. from across the California-Nevada state line at Lake Tahoe and transported him to Los Angeles. The kidnappers collected US$240,000 ransom. Gladys was hired to defend one of the kidnappers, John William Irwin, and defended him with zeal. Charges were brought against Gladys based on her allegedly fabricating the story that the young singer concocted the kidnapping for publicity reasons. Gladys was indicted in 1964 on charges of conspiracy, suborning perjury, and obstruction of justice. The charges were dropped in 1968.

Root fought with the Internal Revenue Service, beginning in the 1970s. The IRS contended that she owed more than $230,000 in back taxes when interest and penalties were included. She fought the judgment and, uncharacteristically, she lost in the federal appeals court in 1977. She attempted to appeal to the United States Supreme Court but the highest court in the land refused to hear the case.

[edit] Death

On Tuesday, December 21, 1982 Gladys Towles Root died during an appearance in a Los Angeles Superior Court Pomona courtroom of a heart attack at age 77. She was in court to defend two brothers accused of rape. On the day of her death, Gladys was attired completely in gold.

Gladys was buried at Forest Lawn Glendale. The funeral was covered by local news media. Over four thousand clients, defense attorneys, prosecutors and judges went to her funeral. She was buried in her gold dress with Madonna earrings.