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UPDATE: A Family Friend Remembers Slain Lawyer, Chiquita Tate

Written by News One on March 31, 2009 5:24 pm

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UPDATE: A Family Friend Remembers Slain Lawyer, Chiquita Tate

Chiquita Tate appeared to have it all. She graduated from the top of her class at Clark-Atlanta University in 1996 and then obtained her law degree from Southern University in 2004. The 34-year-old attorney went into business for herself, starting the Tate Law Firm, LLC, where her motto was “We enthusiastically and aggressively fight for the needs and rights of our clients.” When she got married just over a year ago, it seemed as if she had finally completed the package. No one, not even those closest to her, could envision what was about to happen next. In the early morning of February 20, a Baton Rouge police officer found Tate’s bludgeoned body inside her law office. She had been stabbed 38 times. The next day her husband, Greg Harris, 37, was arrested based on a warrant for battery that was issued after an incident in December 2007. He is being charged with second degree murder and illegal use of a weapon after initial lab tests confirmed that traces of Tate and Harris’s blood was found on a bottle of bleach at the couple’s home as well as in his car. Now, those who knew her best mourn her death including her mentor, former boss and “adopted” mother Juvenile Court Judge Pam Taylor Johnson, who talked to ESSENCE.com about taking Tate under her wing, her interrupted bright future and what she thinks may have happened.

Click here to read more.

Prominent Black Attorney Slain, Husband Held On Charges

Slain attorney Chiquita Tate was such a believer in the legal system that she had a tattoo of Lady Justice on her back, college friend T. J. Crawford recalled.

Chiquita Tate was in the midde of a high-profile murder trial when she was stabbed to death in her law office.


“She just had an attachment to justice and doing what’s right by people. She was always very serious about that,” said Crawford, a teacher and community organizer in Chicago, Illinois.

But Tate, described by colleagues as a tenacious defense attorney who fought for her clients, could not save herself.

Family members and friends in Chicago; Atlanta, Georgia, and Tate’s adopted home — tiny Baker, Louisiana — are reeling from the grisly details of Tate’s slaying, and police say it was at the hands of her husband, Greg Harris. They had been married about 14½ months.

Harris, 37, is in custody, accused of stabbing Tate to death. He is charged with second-degree murder and the illegal use of a dangerous weapon. A judge last week set his bond at $500,000.

In a phone interview with CNN, Harris’ attorney, Lewis Unglesby, said police have the wrong man.

Read the Whole CNN Report

Tags: Killed
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  • http://www.blackplanet.com/drkchokolate_10/ drkchokolate_10

    man this is a damn shame. they haven’t been married for long at all. if this is true they should let all of her family take part in killing his ass.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/da_dj485/ da_dj485

    I’m from Baton Rouge, LA (where the incident occurred in early March) and couldn’t believe it. This was something unheard of (a lawyer being killed) at first I thought it was due to the case she was working on, then I thought about the time in which it happened and felt that since the office buidling has a access code to get in, it had to be someone she knew. But I really don’t know, it was said her husband had already be estranged from her and had a bench warrant out on him for domestic violence towards her (served 30 days before being charged in her death). So I’m gonna just wait and see what the outcome is.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/reginald906/ reginald906

    let’s find out the truth.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/DATFINEVACHICK/ DATFINEVACHICK

    Damn mane! Sumbody is always gettin murdered. Why did he stab her dat many times killin her? He don’t deserve no bond, he deserves to be put to death.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Josteff/ Josteff

    How can a woman so brilliant end up with an idiot…Women, you can’t change a fool by marrying him.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Sixfootr34/ Sixfootr34

    I always say what looks good on the outside could be in all f’d up on the inside…errbody in the neighborhood sayin how loving they looked but behind closed doors things were prolly hellified…if he did it, give that man what he deserves…DEATH!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/sistabigboness/ sistabigboness

    2nd degree? i don’t understand…

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/explicit_mix52/ explicit_mix52

    Al Green said it Best:

    Love and Happiness

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/hersay31/ hersay31

    God Bless!! Regardless if he killed her or not, death is final!! The person responsible 4 this could get da chair but the point still remain that someone sister, daughter, aunt, niece, friend n yes wife is Gone!! I dnt think killers understand that their killing a whole family!!!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/MsBlkdymon/ MsBlkdymon

    wow

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/1FYNE_SUMMER/ 1FYNE_SUMMER

    I, too, am from Louisiana and because and our some of our laws are strange (based on the Napoleonic code… from France). Second degree murder still carries a life sentence, I think. If convicted, he’ll more than likely serve it at Angola.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Ceazia08/ Ceazia08

    Thats f**k up shes a whole lawyer.. if it was a white women that nigga would of got shot right there were he stood…Now they talkin bout 2nd degree that nigga needs to get what he suppose to get in thats death..This crazy as world like my man Young Jezzy say..Crazy World…

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/SweetSassySexy08/ SweetSassySexy08

    I get so damn tired of reading stories like these. What in the hell did she do to deserve this. This nigga stabbed her 38 times, he had some serious malice towards her. He was probably jealous of her. She was successful, educated, and did not need him, that’s for sure. I read the full story on CNN, it seems like they met and got married very quickly. Poor lady, did not know what she was getting herself into. Chances are he has a history of abuse with women. It is so sad to have to leave here at the hands of someone else. I wish I there when that nigga stabbed her.. I would have shot and killed that MF with no remorse.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/_beautiful/ _beautiful

    Wow, it really makes me mad when I see our own brothers attempting to or even killing our successful black women. WTF is wrong with men these days?

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Cmoore_78/ Cmoore_78

    I will pray for her family. My sister was murdered by her ex in Shreveport back in Nov. 2007, the Sunday after Thanksgiving, her name is Jacquetta Moore. She was 35 and had one son. This domestic violence thing is a serious disease in our society. It needs to be addressed and we NEED to TALK about it.

    I read this and see that they were married 14 1/2 months, my sister knew her ex for only 15 months. And yes, her ex had a history of violence towards women. We need to take some the time to get to know people BEFORE going to bed with them.

    Pay attention to the flags, they are always present. My sister’s ex is still the prime suspect in her brutal murder but more evidence is needed. He was sentenced to 40 years, hard labor with no parole on Mar. 16.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/ladymona41/ ladymona41

    My prayers go out to the family.As a survivor of domestic violence, I am sadden each time I read another story. For I know it could have been me,surely but the grace of God. My advice to both men and women, watch for the signs, first verbal abuse then physical abuse. I left for my safety and sanity. Much love to those going through and those that are rebuilding their lives. Be encouraged even when things look bad, God is still in control.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Brian_BB/ Brian_BB

    RIP Chiquita. You will be missed.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/jalisa20072003/ jalisa20072003

    I would tell the family that they are in my prayer and they have my sympathy and she was a beautiful young woman.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/DominiqueDavis21/ DominiqueDavis21

    IT’S A CRIME THAT WE HAVE SO MUCH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE GOING ON AN WE AS THE PEOPLE NEED 2 LOOK DOWN DEEP AN STOP THE VIOLENCE AGAINST ONE ANOTHER ……AN MAY GOD BLESS HER AN HER FAMILY UR IN MY PRAYER’S …..STAY STRONG

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