Keith, Damon J.

Impact on the world

His ruling in United States v. Sinclair, requiring disclosure of warrantless wiretap transcripts authorized by Nixon's Attorney General John Mitchell, was upheld by both the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court, establishing an enduring check on warrantless surveillance.

Life & background

The grandson of enslaved workers, Keith served as a federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, where his 1971 ruling in what became known as the 'Keith Case' required the disclosure of wiretap transcripts that Nixon administration Attorney General John Mitchell had authorized without a search warrant, a ruling upheld by both the appellate courts and the Supreme Court. He authored numerous First Amendment decisions over his long judicial career, serving until his death at 96.

Sources

1. History.com (6 Influential African American Judges); National Park Service, International Civil Rights Walk of Fame; Detroit News obituary (Apr 28, 2019)