Finding Aid to the George T. Davis Papers
Lara Michels
The Bancroft Library
2018
The Bancroft Library
University of California
Berkeley, CA 94720-6000
bancref@library.berkeley.edu
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
The Bancroft Library
Title: George T. Davis papers
Creator:
Davis, George Thomas
Identifier/Call Number: BANC MSS 2003/320 c
Physical Description:
10 linear feet
(4 cartons, 7 volumes, 2 boxes, 2 oversize boxes, 1 oversize folder)
Date (inclusive): approximately 1913-1990
Language of Material: Collection materials are in English.
Physical Location: Many of the Bancroft Library collections are stored offsite and advance notice may be required for use. For current information
on the location of these materials, please consult the library's online catalog.
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research, with the exception of Box 1, which is restricted until 2064 because of attorney-client privilege.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The George T. Davis papers were gifted to the Bancroft Library by George T. Davis in 1999.
Biographical / Historical
George T. Davis was a criminal defense attorney based in San Francisco. He was known for his larger-than-life trial persona
and his high-profile cases, many of which involved the death penalty. Davis graduated from law school at UC Berkeley in 1931
and served as assistant San Francisco district attorney for more than a decade. He ran for Attorney General of the state of
California in 1942. He spent most of his career as a criminal defense attorney. His first major case was that of Tom Mooney,
the labor organizer convicted for the 1916 Preparedness Day bombing in San Francisco. In 1935, Davis managed to secure a new
trial for Mooney and, in 1939, Mooney was pardoned by Governor Culbert Olson. The Mooney case was an international sensation
and established Davis’ reputation as a criminal defense attorney. During the 1950s, Davis spent five years working on the
death penalty appeal of Caryl Chessman and, in 1989, Davis represented televangelist Jim Bakker in a high-profile fraud and
conspiracy case. Davis was also active in Democratic Party politics and ran the Northern California campaigns of Presidents
Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], George T. Davis papers, BANC MSS 2003/320c, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.
Processing Information
Processed by Lara Michels in November 2018.
Scope and Contents
Consists of some biographical material, including manuscript drafts of an autobiography; case files, including files on Tom
Mooney, Caryl Chessman, and James Bakker, among others; some speeches and writings; subject files; clippings, including scrapbooks
of clippings relating to Davis' cases; and photographs, including photos relating to the Tom Mooney and Caryl Chessman cases.
Conditions Governing Use
Some materials in these collections may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). Copyright for material
created by Alan Copeland has been assigned to the University of California Regents, managed by The Bancroft Library. In addition,
the reproduction of some materials may be restricted by terms of University of California gift or purchase agreements, donor
restrictions, privacy and publicity rights, licensing and trademarks. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected
by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public
domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively
with the user. All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from, or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted to
The Bancroft Library. See: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/reference/permissions.html
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Davis , George Thomas, 1907-2006 -- Archives
Mooney, Thomas J., 1882-1942
Chessman, Caryl, 1921-1960
Bakker, Jim, 1940-
Criminal law
Criminal defense lawyers -- California
Trials -- California
Capital punishment
Photographs
Series 1:
Personalia
approximately 1945-1990
carton 1, folder 1-4
Biographical materials and interviews
1950-1990
carton 1, folder 5
Autobiography, manuscript
undated
carton 1, folder 6-7
Military service records
1945-1946
Series 2:
Politics
1942-1976
carton 1, folder 8
Campaign for State Attorney General, correspondence
1942
carton 1, folder 9
Appointment and resignation letters re: position as assistant district attorney of San Francisco
1947-1948
carton 1, folder 10
Northern California Campaign Committee for Truman, correspondence and press releases
1948
carton 1, folder 11
Correspondence with James Roosevelt (regarding Truman)
1950
carton 1, folder 12
Jimmy Carter campaign
1976
carton 1, folder 13
Soong Ching Ling Foundation
1974
Series 3:
Case files
1913-1990
Carton 1, Folder 24-34
Tom Mooney
approximately 1913-1937
Carton 2, Folder 1-17
Tom Mooney
approximately 1930-1938
box 1, Folder 1-2
Jim Bakker
1989-1990
Conditions Governing Access
This box of correspondence is restricted until 2064 due to attorney-client privilege.
carton 3, folder 14
Bart Caritativo
1955-1958
carton 3, folder 17-18
Turncoat cases (Otho Bell, WIlliam Cowart, Lewie Griggs)
1955
carton 3, folder 22-25
George T. Davis/Dixon Lee conspiracy indictment
1950
carton 3, folder 26
Materials from assorted cases
1942-1982
Series 4:
Speeches, remarks, and other writings
1935-1983
Carton 3, Folder 27-28
Assorted speeches
approximately 1940-1990
carton 4, folder 1-4
Assorted speeches
1940-1990
carton 4, folder 5
Political and campaign speeches
1935-1940
carton 4, folder 6
Remarks at Harvard Law School, National College of Advocacy
1974
carton 4, folder 7
Statement on the confirmation of Rose Bird
1977
carton 4, folder 8
Davis' remarks at Mooney mass meeting
1937
carton 4, folder 9
Trial by Prejudice (speech at Ate-y Club, San Francisco)
undated
carton 4, folder 10
Chicago Civil Liberties Committee speech
1939
carton 4, folder 11
National Lawyers Guild Convention speech (Chicago)
1939
carton 4, folder 12
Speech and other materials on Pacific Gas and Electric and public power
1974-1989
Carton 4, Folder 14
John Hinkley verdict--memo on
1982
Carton 4, Folder 15
Comstock Club (Sacramento) speech--only correspondence regarding speech, no transcript)
1983
Carton 4, Folder 16
How to handle a tax evasion case--speech
1974
Carton 4, Folder 17
Prosecutorial misconduct--speech
undated
carton 4, folder 18
The George T. Davis Story: Capital Punishment (manuscript)
undated
carton 4, folder 19
Rambling Thoughts (manuscript)
1982
carton 4, folder 20
Philosophy of Good Government (manuscript)
1942
Series 5:
Subject files
1926-1980
Carton 4, Folder 21-22
Hypnosis for lawyers
1966
Carton 4, Folder 23
Clarence Darrow speech--What to do About Crime (transcript)
1926
Carton 4, Folder 24-27
Capital punishment, assorted
approximately 1970-1980
Carton 4, Folder 28
Unreliability of eyewitness testimony--memo to GTD
undated
Carton 4, Folder 29
Habeus Corpus in One Act by Milt Phinney
undated
Carton 4, Folder 30
Persuasion research
undated
Carton 4, Folder 31
Raker Act, assorted
1941-1977
Carton 4, Folder 32
Materials relating to Brad Williams' Due Process book on G.T. Davis
1960
Series 6:
Clippings/press
1921-1990
box 2, Folder 1-5
Clippings/press on George T. Davis
approximately 1940-1990
box 2, Folder 6
Eugene Rayond Pacelli case clippings
1962
box 2, Folder 7
Sam Amalu case clippings
1963
box 2, Folder 8
Sen. Benigno Aquino, Jr. case clippings
1977
box 2, Folder 9
Clippings scrapbook
1921-1933
volume 1
Clippings scrapbook
1934-1937
volume 2
Clippings scrapbook
1934-1937
volume 3
Clippings scrapbook
1936-1938
volume 4
Clippings scrapbook
1938-1942
volume 5
Clippings scrapbook
1940-1942
volume 6
Clippings scrapbook
1939-1940
volume 7
Clippings scrapbook
1947-1989
Series 7:
Photographs
1916-1986
oversize_box 1, folder 1
Caryl Chessman case
1950-1960
oversize_box 1, folder 2-4
Tom Mooney case
1916-1938
oversize_box 2, folder 1-3
Tom Mooney case
1916-1938
oversize_box 2, folder 4
Mooney-Billings case (pardon of Billings)
1961
oversize_box 2, folder 5
Tommy Harrington case
1948
oversize_box 2, folder 6
The People Against McQuade (photos from the set)
1956
oversize_box 2, folder 7
Assorted professional photos
1949-1986
Scope and Contents
Photograph of George T. Davis at a rally to free Bhutto in 1986 in San Francisco; photograph of George T. Davis with Supreme
Court Justice Hugo Black in Washington D.C. (1949); portrait photograph of U.S. Senator Claire Engel; photograph of Andy Thomas,
George T. Davis, Dr. Angel and two unidentified men in Acapulco, Mexico celebrating George Christopher's election as mayor
of San Francisco (approximately 1955).
oversize_box 2, folder 8
Personal photos
1940-1985
