Former Philly Prosecutor Is Remembered For His Courtroom Presence
By Steve Tawa
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A larger than life career prosecutor in the Philadelphia District Attorney's office is being remembered, after his passing, by people he both mentored and matched wits with in the courtroom. Roger King was 72.
Roger King spent 35-years in the DA's office, much of it handling some of Philadelphia's headline grabbing homicide trials.:
"You'd sit there in the courtroom, and watch the master at his craft."
Veteran Assistant DA Jude Conroy, recalls being mesmerized as a young prosecutor nearly 30-years ago, watching jurors lean forward to strain to hear King whisper during closing arguments, then suddenly bellow like a preacher.
"And it was all part of Roger's captivating persona."
Criminal defense attorney Fred Harrison says King was "always a worthy adversary."
"I'll miss him. he had a great style and presence about him."
When asked how it felt knowng that Roger King was the homicide prosecutor in the same room: "You knew you had to be prepared."
Another longtime Assistant DA, Ed Cameron, is now assistant chief of the homicide unit.
"It's the passing of a legend. Roger was the rock of the homicide unit."
King retired in 2008. Cameron recalls the last business card that King handed out describes his life's work: it read "Roger King, retired homicide prosecutor."