Leo James Terrell is an American civil rights attorney and talk radio host based in Los Angeles, California.
Education
Terrell graduated from Gardena High School of Harbor Gateway, Los Angeles in 1972 and California State University, Dominguez Hills in 1977 with a Bachelor and taught high school history, geography, and economics, and Junior High at Gage Middle School in Huntington Park, California. He holds a master"s degree in education from and holds a law degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law.
Career
With former Los Angeles Superior Court judge Burton Katz, Terrell co-hosted the weekday talk show Terrell & Katz that debuted on June 3, 1996 on KMPC radio in Los Los Angeles Terrell & Katz was a point-counterpoint program with Terrell as the liberal voice and Katz the conservative. Starting October 5, 1996, Terrell and Katz moved to weekends on KABC. Terrell continued to host a weekend legal show on KABC until August 15, 2010 and continues to be a recurring guest host for KABC"s The Peter Tilden Show.
Terrell wrote the book Your Rights at the Workplace--The Things Your Boss Won"t Tell You in 1998.
After Terrell expressed support for Carolyn Kuhl, a judge nominated by President George West. Bush to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit whose nomination was filibustered in the United States. Senate, Terrell left the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and accused the organization of "bullying" him out. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Washington, District of Columbia office director Hilary O. Shelton responded: "He’s not an National Association for the Advancement of Colored People lawyer, not even a former National Association for the Advancement of Colored People lawyer
He’s done volunteer work for us, which we appreciate. But when he takes a position that is diametrically opposite from our position, he’s not speaking for us." Terrell has provided legal and political commentary on television and radio programs such as Nightline, Larry King Live, Hannity & Colmes, The O"Reilly Factor, Today, Good Morning America, and various radio programs.
In 2003, Terrell ran for the seat of District 10 on the Los Angeles City Council and came in fifth place among seven candidates.
Notable cases In 1995, Terrell represented Kumasi Simmons, a former football player from Centennial High School in Compton expelled for hitting a referee. Simmons accused the referee of using racial epithets. Terrell accused the Beverly Hills Police Department of intimidating witnesses who could back up Simmons"s claim.
In 1999, Terrell called on the Los Angeles police commission to hear witnesses who claimed that a homeless woman, Margaret Laverne Mitchell, was running when police officers shot her.
In 2012, Terrell called for an investigation of misconduct by trainees of the Los Angeles County Sheriff"s Department.
Membership
On December 4, 1990, Terrell became a member of the California Bar. He was the Chairman of the Black-Korean Alliance, an Advisory Board Member for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission), and a member of the Statewide Commission Against Hate Crimes. Terrell became a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in 1990 and did pro bono legal work for the organization.