Charles Older

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Charles "Chuck" Older (29 September 1917–17 June 2006) was a member of the American Volunteer Group "The Flying Tigers" and one of its Aces. In his distinguished military career, he served in both World War II and the Korean War. Older shot down 18 enemy planes and only two others bested his record.

He earned a degree in political science before the war and later graduated from UCLA law school. After a distinguished legal career, he was appointed to the bench of the Los Angeles Superior Court by Governor Ronald Reagan in 1967. He served for twenty years before retiring. His most famous case was the Charles Manson murder trial. The trial lasted ten months and at that time was the longest in American history. Prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi praised Older for his firm but fair handling of the difficult case. At one point, Manson tried to attack the judge and had to be restrained by bailiffs.

He died in 2006, following complications from a fall in his home in Los Angeles, California.

[edit] References

• Obituary at the Wall Street Journal