John Burris
American lawyer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
John Leonard Burris (born May 8, 1945)[1][2] is an American civil rights attorney based in Oakland, California. He represents plaintiffs in police brutality and civil rights lawsuits.
May 8, 1945
John Burris | |
|---|---|
| |
| Born | John Leonard Burris May 8, 1945 Vallejo, California, United States |
| Occupation | Attorney |
| Spouse | Cheryl Amana Burris |
| Website | Official website |
Burris served as co-counsel for Rodney King in his civil lawsuit against the Los Angeles Police Department, resulting in a $3.8 million judgment in 1994.[3] He has also represented athletes and entertainers in civil cases, including Tupac Shakur,[4] Latrell Sprewell,[5] Gary Payton,[6] Keyshawn Johnson,[7] and Barry Bonds.[7]
Early life and education
Burris was born in May 1945 in Vallejo, California. He graduated from Vallejo High School in 1963.[8][9] He attended Solano Community College before earning a bachelor's degree in accounting from Golden Gate University.[8] Burris received a Master of Business Administration from the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Business in 1970 and a Juris Doctor from UC Berkeley School of Law in 1973.[10]
After law school, Burris worked at the Chicago law firm Jenner & Block and served as an assistant state's attorney in Cook County, Illinois.[10] He returned to California as a prosecutor in Alameda County before becoming a member of the California Bar in 1976.[1][11]
Legal career and notable cases
Burris shifted to civil rights law following his work investigating the 1979 police killing of 15-year-old Melvin Black.[12][13] In 1999, he co-authored Blue vs. Black: Let's End the Conflict Between Cops and Minorities, a book analyzing police interactions with African Americans.[14]
Burris secured an $11.3 million trial judgment against the San Jose Police Department for Hung Lam, who was paralyzed after an officer shot him in the back.[15] He also represented Tupac Shakur in a 1993 excessive force lawsuit against the Oakland Police Department over a jaywalking stop, reaching a $42,000 settlement.[16]
Melvin Black
On March 17, 1979, Oakland Police officers fatally shot 15-year-old Melvin Black.[13][17][18] Mayor Lionel Wilson appointed Burris to conduct an independent investigation. The five-month review concluded that the physical evidence contradicted the officers' statements.[13] This case prompted Burris's transition to private civil rights practice.[10]
Oakland Riders case
Burris and co-counsel Jim Chanin filed a federal civil rights lawsuit on behalf of 119 plaintiffs against the "Oakland Riders," a group of Oakland police officers accused of planting evidence and using excessive force. The resulting settlement mandated federal oversight of the Oakland Police Department that continues into the 2020s.[16][19]
Oscar Grant case
Burris represented the mother of Oscar Grant, a 22-year-old man fatally shot by a BART Police officer on January 1, 2009. The civil suit against Bay Area Rapid Transit resulted in a $2.8 million settlement.[19] [20] The case was depicted in the 2013 film Fruitvale Station.[21]
Mario Woods
Following the December 2015 police shooting of Mario Woods in San Francisco, Burris represented Woods's mother in a wrongful death lawsuit. The shooting prompted widespread protests and preceded the resignation of San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr.[22]
Celeste Guap
Burris represented Celeste Guap (Jasmine Abuslin) in civil litigation regarding the sexual exploitation of a minor by officers across several Bay Area law enforcement agencies. In 2017, the city of Oakland agreed to a $989,000 settlement.[23]
Brandon T.
In 1996, Burris took the pro bono criminal defense of Brandon T., a six-year-old boy from Richmond, California charged with the attempted murder of an infant.[24][25]
Agustin Gonsalez
In 2021, Burris and associate Ben Nisenbaum secured a $3.3 million settlement from the city of Hayward, California on behalf of the family of Agustin Gonsalez. Hayward officers shot Gonsalez 14 times while responding to a mental health crisis call, mistaking a small safety razor for a knife.[26]
Angelo Quinto
Burris represented the family of Angelo Quinto, a 30-year-old Navy veteran who died in 2020 after Antioch police officers restrained him during a mental health crisis. In 2024, the city of Antioch agreed to a $7.5 million settlement and widespread department reforms regarding constitutional policing.[27]
Awards and honors
Burris was inducted into the National Bar Association Hall of Fame in 2017. He received the National Bar Association's Heman Marion Sweatt Award in 2011.[28] He served as president of the California Association of Black Lawyers from 1979 to 1980.[28]
In 2020, the California Lawyers Association inducted Burris into its Hall of Fame.[29] UC Berkeley School of Law awarded him the Citation Award in 2026, recognizing him with the institution's highest honor for alumni.[30] The Daily Journal named Burris one of California's top 100 attorneys in 2005 and 2009.[31] Burris is the subject of the documentary film John Burris: Godfather of Police Litigation, which premiered on February 8, 2025, at UC Berkeley's International House and has since screened at venues across California; a broadcast on PBS is planned.[32][33]
Personal life
Burris is married to Cheryl Amana-Burris, a retired law professor from North Carolina Central University.[12][34] He resides in Oakland Hills.