John Boatwright, ex-public defender in Richmond, dies

John B. Boatwright III relished a challenge. When Virginia's Public Defender Commission established four regional offices in 2002, Mr. Boatwright became the first regional capital-murder defense attorney in the state, one of three lawyers in the Richmond regional office.

"Since it was a state position, some other people didn't want to apply because of the money," said his son, John B. Boatwright IV of Richmond. "He wasn't concerned about that. It combined two things he loved most: an intellectual challenge and a chance to help people, especially people who couldn't afford it. He was very happy in that position."

Mr. Boatwright, a Richmond native, was 50 at the time and had been a lawyer in private practice for 21 years. He graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1981 and began working with the Morchower, Luxton and Whaley law firm in Richmond, his son said. He and William T. Linka formed their own firm in 1988 and practiced law together through 2002. Mr. Boatwright left the public defender's office last year.

"John was a fierce advocate. He was committed to representing everybody and was unwaveringly opposed to the death penalty," Linka said.

Mr. Boatwright's wife, Allison W. Boatwright, said several former clients had remained in contact with him.

"Some called him their hero," she said. "He was always willing to take on any case, no matter how great or how small." She also said her husband would take clients' calls no matter what time it was.

Mr. Boatwright died at his Richmond home Monday at age 56 after an illness.

A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Friday at the Woody's Funeral Home Huguenot Chapel, 1010 Huguenot Road. Interment will be private.

Among the clients Mr. Boatwright defended was James Earl Patterson, the first person to plead guilty and be executed as the result of a "cold hit" DNA analysis, in which samples taken from a prison inmate match those from a crime committed years earlier.

After being identified as the suspect in a rape and murder through DNA analysis, Patterson pleaded guilty and waived all appeals.

Of the cold hit, Mr. Boatwright said in a February 2002 interview with the Richmond Times-Dispatch that Patterson "knew that was bound to happen some day, and that's why he started thinking about what he was going to do if it did happen."

Mr. Boatwright also helped defend Louis Shawn Lindenfeld in the shooting death and robbery of Midlothian teenager Allen "Chip" Ellis.

In addition to his son and his wife, survivors include his former wife, Debbie Boatwright.