Roy Cohn

Roy Cohn
Name	Roy Cohn
Caption	Cohn in 1984
Birth name	Roy Marcus Cohn
Birth date	20 February 1927
Birth place	The Bronx, New York City, U.S.
Death date	2 August 1986
Death place	Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.
Alma mater	Columbia College, Columbia Law School
Occupation	Lawyer
Known for	Role in Rosenberg trial, chief counsel to Senator Joseph McCarthy

Roy Cohn was an American lawyer who became a nationally prominent and controversial figure through his aggressive legal tactics and political associations. He first gained notoriety as a prosecutor in the espionage trial of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg and later served as chief counsel to Senator Joseph McCarthy during the Army–McCarthy hearings. His later career as a private attorney in New York City was marked by representing a mix of powerful clients, including figures from organized crime, corporate entities, and a young Donald Trump, while his personal life and death from AIDS-related complications remained shrouded in secrecy.

Early life and education

Roy Marcus Cohn was born into a wealthy and well-connected Jewish family in The Bronx. His father, Albert C. Cohn, was a prominent New York Supreme Court justice, and his mother, Dora Marcus, was from a powerful Democratic political family. He attended the Fieldston School and demonstrated precocious intellect, enrolling at Columbia College at age 16 and graduating from Columbia Law School by age 20. Admitted to the New York bar in 1948, his early career was swiftly propelled by his family's political ties within the Democratic machine, leading to a position in the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.

Career

Cohn's legal career was defined by a relentless, win-at-all-costs approach that blurred ethical lines. After his early notoriety in government service, he entered private practice, where he cultivated a reputation as a formidable and feared litigator. He operated from New York City, leveraging his network of contacts within the FBI, political circles, and the media to benefit his clients. His practice often involved aggressive countersuits and leveraging the press, tactics that made him both a sought-after advocate and a polarizing figure within the legal community. He was a founding partner of the firm Saxe, Bacon & Bolan.

Rosenberg trial and McCarthyism

Cohn rose to national prominence as an assistant to prosecutor Irving Saypol in the 1951 espionage trial of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. He played a crucial behind-the-scenes role, notably pressuring Judge Irving Kaufman and allegedly communicating with the judge ex parte, which contributed to the Rosenbergs' conviction and subsequent execution. In 1953, he became chief counsel to the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, chaired by Senator Joseph McCarthy. Cohn was instrumental in orchestrating the controversial investigations into alleged Communist infiltration of the U.S. Army and other institutions, a period known as McCarthyism. His abrasive tactics during the televised Army–McCarthy hearings in 1954 contributed to McCarthy's political downfall.

Later career and clients

After leaving Washington, Dohn built a lucrative and powerful private practice in Manhattan. His client list was notably eclectic, representing figures such as Anthony "Fat Tony" Salerno of the Genovese crime family, Cardinal Francis Spellman of the Archdiocese of New York, and media moguls like Aristotle Onassis. He became a close friend and mentor to a young real estate developer, Donald Trump, representing him and the Trump Organization in numerous battles, including the Justice Department's housing discrimination case. Other notable clients included Studio 54 owners Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager, and he frequently represented the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York.

Personal life and death

Cohn, who never married, was widely rumored to be a closeted homosexual, a fact he aggressively denied, even as he socialized in New York's gay circles. He lived a lavish lifestyle, with residences in Greenwich Village and a summer home in Greenwich, Connecticut. In 1984, he was disbarred by the New York Appellate Division for unethical conduct, including misappropriation of client funds. He was diagnosed with HIV/AIDS but publicly claimed he had liver cancer. He died from AIDS-related complications at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, in August 1986.

Legacy and portrayals

Roy Cohn remains a symbol of ruthless power, political corruption, and ethical transgression in American legal and political history. His life and tactics have been examined in numerous works, most notably in Tony Kushner's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Angels in America, where he is a central character. He has been portrayed by actors including Al Pacino in the HBO adaptation of Kushner's play and by Michael Stuhlbarg in the FX series The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story. His influence on figures like Donald Trump is frequently cited by historians and political commentators analyzing modern American politics.

Category:American lawyers Category:People from the Bronx Category:Columbia Law School alumni