David Nissman
David Marshall Nissman (born 1953)[1] is an American attorney and legal author who served for a time as the U.S. Attorney for the District of the Virgin Islands.
Early life, education, and career
[edit]Born in Queens, New York, Nissman graduated magna cum laude from Emory University in 1975, and earned a J.D. from the University of Oregon School of Law in 1978.[2]
In 1978, Nissman became a deputy district attorney in Eugene, Oregon,[2][3][4][5] also teaching as an adjunct at the University of Oregon School of Law and writing several legal textbooks, including Beating the Insanity Defense (1980), The Prosecution Function (1982), and Law of Confessions (1986).[2]
In 1984, he declared his intent to run for a seat on the Oregon Supreme Court, against incumbent Hans A. Linde.[2][3] Running in a three-way race in the primary, Nissman came in third with 25% of the vote, with the other two candidates being forced into a runoff election.[6] In 1986, he prosecuted double-murderer Daniel Nick, who killed two neighbors with a shovel and claimed as his defense that he believed the victims were aliens sent to spy on him.[7]
Federal legal work
[edit]By 1988, Nissman had relocated to the U.S. Virgin Islands, as an Assistant United States Attorney.[8][9] A 1989 report said that in the aftermath of Hurricane Hugo devastating the islands, a ham radio operator sent a message purporting to be from Nissman that "said his life was in peril and asked to be rescued", though the reporters "could not verify that Nissman had sent such a message".[10] By 1994, Nissman was chief of the criminal division for the U.S. Attorney in the Virgin Islands,[7] and by the end of 1994, he had become the Acting U.S. Attorney.[11]
On April 18, 2002, Nissman was formally appointed by President George W. Bush as the 19th U.S. Attorney for the District of the Virgin Islands.
During his tenure the U.S. Attorney, he prosecuted many high-profile cases, including a case against the V.I. government for fraudulently circumventing the competitive process and awarding a $3.6 million contract for major sewer repairs on St. Croix to a local company with no experience. The government later cancelled the contract.[12]
Nissman retired as U.S. Attorney in 2004.[13]
Later life
[edit]After his retirement, the U.S. Attorney's Office Building on St. Croix was named the David Marshall Nissman Justice Center.[14]
As of 2012[update], he was a senior partner of ILP + McChain Miller Nissman. In January 2024, Washington, D.C.-based Community Redevelopment Inc. issued a press release announcing that Nissman had joined its board of directors.[15]
Personal life
[edit]Nissman married Carolina Zapata, with whom he had three children.[1]
Publications
[edit]- Beating the Insanity Defense (1980);[2] with Brian R. Barnes and Geoffrey P. Alpert.[16][17]
- The Prosecution Function (1982), with Ed Hagan.[2][18][19]
- Law of Confessions (1986), with Ed Hagan.[2][20][21]
- Proving Federal Crimes (Corpus Juris Publishing),[1][22]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Who's who in American Law, Vol. 14, Parts 2004-2006 (2005), p. 780.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Lane man files for Linde's high court seat", Salem Statesman Journal (March 2, 1984), p. 14A.
- ^ a b "Deputy D.A. to run for court post", Albany Democrat-Herald (February 28, 1984), p. 8.
- ^ "Killer guilty of weapons charge", Corvallis Gazette-Times (August 27, 1982), p. 10.
- ^ "Jury convicts captor of 'dope thieves'", The Vancouver Columbian (December 31, 1982), p. 9.
- ^ "Norblad feels fit for Linde battle", Salem Statesman Journal (May 17, 1984), p. 1.
- ^ a b Janet Davies, "Double killer allowed to live in community", Salem Statesman Journal (December 9, 1994), p. 1.
- ^ "Man gets life prison term for murdering Millville sailor", The Sunbury Daily Item (June 17, 1988), p. 3.
- ^ Mike Clary, "St. Croix Seeks to Rebuild Battered Image", Los Angeles Times (December 4, 1989), p. A22.
- ^ James Gerstenzang and Ronald J. Ostrow, "U.S. soldiers sent to islands to restore law", The Wichita Eagle (September 21, 1989), p. 1A, 6A.
- ^ William Steif, "Murder pardons provoke protest", Miami Herald (December 30, 1994), p. A12.
- ^ Estinger, Jean (March 10, 2003). "Judge Finds 'Reek of Politics' in Sewage Contract". The St. Thomas Source.
- ^ "[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-palm-beach-post-virgin-islands-tax/139282336/ Virgin Islands' tax program examined'", The Palm Beach Post (September 20, 2004), p. A16.
- ^ Buchanan, Don (Nov 26, 2005). "Former U.S. Attorney Keeps On Moving On". The St. Croix Source.
- ^ "Community Redevelopment Announces New Board Member". MarketWatch. January 8, 2024.
- ^ D. Cheryn Picquet, Reba A. Best, The Insanity Defense: A Bibliographic Research Guide (1985), p. 20.
- ^ "Beating the Insanity Defense - Denying the License to Kill". www.ojp.gov.
- ^ Martin H. Belsky, "On Becoming and Being a Prosecutor", 78 NW U. L. Rev. 1485 (1984).
- ^ Stanley Z. Fisher, "In Search of the Virtuous Prosecutor: A Conceptual Framework", 15 American Journal of Criminal Law 197, 201 (1988).
- ^ United States Attorneys Bulletin, Vol. 40, Issue 10 (1992), p. 322.
- ^ "Law of Confessions | Office of Justice Programs". www.ojp.gov.
- ^ James M. Peters, "A First Resource: Review of 'Proving Federal Crimes'", Oregon State Bar Bulletin, Vol. 61, Issue 9 (July 2001), pp. 47-48.