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Local News - September 2002 |
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Leatherman portrait presented By JEREMY ASHTON, LTN Staff Writer September 27, 2002 - Some of Lincoln County’s leading citizens gathered at the courthouse Thursday to honor a friend. With so many politicians in the room, attorney Harvey Jonas felt like he was at a stump meeting. “I can’t go any further without saying this looks like a damn good political rally,” Jonas said. The public servants, along with many other distinguished guests, were drawn to the courthouse to pay tribute to attorney Clarence Leatherman, who died Feb. 5 after more than 50 years of practicing law in Lincoln County. “We’ve got great citizens, we’ve got great politicians, we’ve got great people here today, and it’s a real tribute to Clarence,” said Jonas, a member of the Lincoln County Bar Association and one of Leatherman’s close friends. In a special session of Superior Court with Judge James W. Morgan presiding, Leatherman’s widow, Charlesanna Walker Leatherman, presented a portrait of her husband to Jerry Cochrane, the chairman of the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners. On the county’s behalf, Cochrane accepted the gift, which will hang on the Wall of Fame over the jury box in Courtroom No. 2. Charlesanna Leatherman told the courtroom that she and her family were “deeply honored” when Jonas and the bar association approached her about having a portrait of her husband made. “I think it’s just wonderful to put his picture here because he loved the law and all that the court stood for,” she said after the dedication. Rather than recount the many achievements of Clarence Leatherman’s career, his friends and family chose to focus on that passion for law. Don Pendleton, Leatherman’s cousin and a fellow attorney, described a bond that immediately formed between Leatherman and his clients. Leatherman, Pendleton said, would employ any rule or tactic to get the best possible deal for his client. “He never violated his trust to his client, regardless of race, color or prestige,” Pendleton said. “Once he was employed and paid, he was a loyal attorney to his client and fought passionately and relentlessly for their rights.” Charlesanna Leatherman described her husband as an outgoing person who “got a good deal of satisfaction out of solving a problem and helping (people).” Leatherman said she was overwhelmed by seeing so many of her husband’s “good buddies.” “He would have enjoyed this party because he would have been so humbled and honored,” she said. Clarence Leatherman retired in 2000 after 52 years of practicing law in Lincoln County. According to Pendleton, Leatherman engaged in a general practice, but criminal law was his specialty. He also spent 36 years as the school board’s attorney. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy and served Lincoln County for a time as a representative to the North Carolina General Assembly.
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© 2001 Lincoln Times-News |
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