Louie Lee Wainwright (September 11, 1923 – December 23, 2021) was an American corrections administrator who served as Secretary of the Florida Department of Corrections from 1962 to 1987.[1] He is known for having been the named respondent in two U.S. Supreme Court cases: Gideon v. Wainwright in which indigents are guaranteed an attorney, and Ford v. Wainwright, in which the Court approved the common law rule prohibiting the execution of the insane. Time Magazine called the Gideon decision one of the ten most important legal events of the 1960s.[2] He also appeared as the respondent in a number of habeas corpus petitions that reached the Supreme Court level during his tenure in office, making "Wainwright" one of the most familiar names to students of habeas corpus law.[citation needed]

Louie L. Wainwright
Wainwright in 1973
Secretary of the Florida Department of Corrections
In office
1962–1987
Preceded byH. G. Cochran
Succeeded byRichard L. Dugger
Personal details
Born(1923-09-11)September 11, 1923
Lawtey, Florida, U.S.
DiedDecember 23, 2021(2021-12-23) (aged 98)
Tallahassee, Florida, U.S.
Resting placeKingsley Lake Cemetery Clay County, Florida, USA
Spouse(s)Edna Edwards
(died 1998)
Anabel Peacock
(died 2019)
ChildrenLouie Wainwright Jr.
(died 2013)
Michael Wainwright
Sherry Wainwright
Alma materNova Southeastern University

Biography

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Governor Reubin Askew (center foreground) listens to Dr. James Bax, state Director of Rehabilitative Services, (left) as the governor's inspection party walks through "death row" at Raiford Prison. Between the two men is Louis Wainwright Corrections Director.

Born in Lawtey, Florida,[3] Wainwright received a master's degree in criminal justice from Nova Southeastern University, later serving as a temporary faculty member there. He was then acknowledged as dean of American Correctional Administrators. Wainwright was appointed secretary of the Florida Division of Corrections by Cecil Farris Bryant (Florida Governor at that time) in 1962, replacing H. G. Cochran and remained in the position until 1987, when Richard L. Dugger assumed the role.[1]

Wainwright served under six governors: C. Farris Bryant, Haydon Burns, Claude Roy Kirk, Jr., Reubin Askew, Bob Graham, and Wayne Mixson.

He received the American Correctional Association's highest tribute, the E.R. Cass Award, for outstanding service,[4] and his efforts in support of accreditation in Florida and nationwide earned him the 1986 Accreditation Achievement Award from the Commission of Accreditation for Corrections.[citation needed] Wainwright was appointed to the Corrections Foundation Board in 2001 and re-appointed president in 2003 and annually through 2016.[5]

He also served as president of the Florida Peace Officers' Association from 1965 to 1966,[citation needed] where he was still a prominent and respected member.[citation needed] He was once the superintendent of Avon Park Correctional Institution.[6] His post, Secretary of the Florida Division of Corrections, replaced the post of Director of the Division of Corrections.

Wainwright died in Tallahassee, Florida, on December 23, 2021, at the age of 98.[7][8]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Florida Department of Corrections Timeline - 1962". Florida Department of Corrections. Retrieved October 6, 2007.
  2. ^ "Florida Department of Corrections Timeline - 1963-1965". Florida Department of Corrections. Retrieved October 6, 2007.
  3. ^ Tebeau, Charlton W.; Carson, Ruby Leach (1965). "Florida from Indian Trail to Space Age". google.ca.
  4. ^ "ER Cass Award Winners". Middle Atlantic States Correctional Association. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  5. ^ Board of Directors, Corrections Foundation. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  6. ^ Avon Park Correctional Institution, Florida Department of Corrections. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  7. ^ "Ex-Florida Department of Corrections Secretary Louie Wainwright dead at 98". WTXL Tallahassee. 23 December 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  8. ^ "Louie L. Wainwright Passes Away". Corrections Foundation. 23 December 2021. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
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