T. F. Gilroy Daly
Encyclopedia
T. F. Gilroy Daly was a lawyer and United States District Judge in Connecticut
who, as a trial lawyer, was noted for winning the freedom of a man wrongly convicted of murder in 1976. He served as District Judge from 1977-1996.
on February 25, 1931. He attended the prestigious Fairfield College Preparatory School
and later went on and graduated from Georgetown University
in 1952 before leaving for service in Korea
, where he was a first lieutenant with the U.S. Army Rangers until 1954. He went on to attend Yale Law School
, graduating in 1957. His great-grandfather Thomas F. Gilroy was an Irish immigrant who was mayor of New York City in the 1890s. His father, Colonel Paul Daly, was a World War I and World War II veteran who had received the Distinguished Service Cross and twice been nominated for the Medal of Honor. Daly had three brothers, Michael, Daniel and Dermot and three sisters, Madeleine Potter, Bevin Patterson and Alison Gerard. Daly's brother, Michael J. Daly
, was a Medal of Honor
recipient for actions during World War II
.
As a trial lawyer, Daly gained prominence when he won freedom for Peter A. Reilly of Litchfield County, Connecticut
, who had been convicted of murdering his mother. With the help of a private investigator, Daly uncovered new evidence that resulted in Reilly being cleared of the crime and released from jail.
appointed him to the Federal bench in 1977 and he served as Chief Judge of the district from 1983 to 1988. During his tenure, he reduced a severe backlog of cases by calling on out-of-state judges to help try Connecticut cases and by winning approval for additional full-time judges.
As a judge, he presided over several high-profile trials, including the Waterbury municipal corruption case, which ended in 1992 when he sent the former Mayor Joseph J. Santopietro to Federal prison for nine years. In May 1995, in a landmark decision, he ruled that state police can be held liable for taping telephone conversations in barracks.
Daly served on the bench until his death of melanoma
at age 65 in his Roxbury, Connecticut
, home.
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
who, as a trial lawyer, was noted for winning the freedom of a man wrongly convicted of murder in 1976. He served as District Judge from 1977-1996.
Background
Daly was born in Fairfield, ConnecticutFairfield, Connecticut
Fairfield is a town located in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It is bordered by the towns of Bridgeport, Trumbull, Easton, Redding and Westport along the Gold Coast of Connecticut. As of the 2010 census, the town had a population of 59,404...
on February 25, 1931. He attended the prestigious Fairfield College Preparatory School
Fairfield College Preparatory School
Fairfield College Preparatory School is a Jesuit Prep School located on the campus of Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut. It is an all male school of about 900 students, first founded by the Society of Jesus in 1942...
and later went on and graduated from Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
in 1952 before leaving for service in Korea
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, where he was a first lieutenant with the U.S. Army Rangers until 1954. He went on to attend Yale Law School
Yale Law School
Yale Law School, or YLS, is the law school of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Established in 1824, it offers the J.D., LL.M., J.S.D. and M.S.L. degrees in law. It also hosts visiting scholars, visiting researchers and a number of legal research centers...
, graduating in 1957. His great-grandfather Thomas F. Gilroy was an Irish immigrant who was mayor of New York City in the 1890s. His father, Colonel Paul Daly, was a World War I and World War II veteran who had received the Distinguished Service Cross and twice been nominated for the Medal of Honor. Daly had three brothers, Michael, Daniel and Dermot and three sisters, Madeleine Potter, Bevin Patterson and Alison Gerard. Daly's brother, Michael J. Daly
Michael J. Daly
Michael J. Daly was a United States Army officer who received the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War II...
, was a Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
recipient for actions during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Career as a lawyer
Daly began his law career as a private attorney in New York before being named an assistant Federal prosecutor for the Southern District of New York in 1961. He returned to private practice in Connecticut from 1964 to 1977, until his nomination to the Federal bench.As a trial lawyer, Daly gained prominence when he won freedom for Peter A. Reilly of Litchfield County, Connecticut
Litchfield County, Connecticut
Litchfield County is a county located in the northwestern corner of the U.S. state of Connecticut. Litchfield County has the lowest population density of any county in Connecticut but is geographically the state's largest county. As of 2010 the population was 189,927...
, who had been convicted of murdering his mother. With the help of a private investigator, Daly uncovered new evidence that resulted in Reilly being cleared of the crime and released from jail.
Judicial career
President Jimmy CarterJimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
appointed him to the Federal bench in 1977 and he served as Chief Judge of the district from 1983 to 1988. During his tenure, he reduced a severe backlog of cases by calling on out-of-state judges to help try Connecticut cases and by winning approval for additional full-time judges.
As a judge, he presided over several high-profile trials, including the Waterbury municipal corruption case, which ended in 1992 when he sent the former Mayor Joseph J. Santopietro to Federal prison for nine years. In May 1995, in a landmark decision, he ruled that state police can be held liable for taping telephone conversations in barracks.
Daly served on the bench until his death of melanoma
Melanoma
Melanoma is a malignant tumor of melanocytes. Melanocytes are cells that produce the dark pigment, melanin, which is responsible for the color of skin. They predominantly occur in skin, but are also found in other parts of the body, including the bowel and the eye...
at age 65 in his Roxbury, Connecticut
Roxbury, Connecticut
Roxbury is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 2,136 at the 2000 census.-History:Roxbury, whose Indian name was "Shepaug", a Mahican name signifiying "rocky water", was settled about the year 1713...
, home.