Posted on 11/28/2004 4:39:41 PM PST by TaxRelief
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- U.S. District Court Judge Brent McKnight, whose legal career was capped by his nomination to the federal bench in 2003, died Saturday of esophageal cancer. He was 52 years old.
McKnight was diagnosed with cancer in late June and continued to work almost until his death at Presbyterian Hospital, said his wife, Beth.
He addressed the Mecklenburg County Bar Association on Nov. 18, telling the group that "justice grounded in truth is our lodestar, what we set our sights on, what gives our judicial institutions their purpose," according to a copy of his remarks.
McKnight spent 20 years as a state prosecutor, state district judge and federal magistrate before President Bush nominated him to be a federal district judge.
"Brent McKnight devoted his life to public service," said U.S. Chief District Judge Graham Mullen, McKnight's colleague in the Western District of North Carolina. "That was his goal in life, and he did so with distinction and honor."
McKnight, a Republican, was born in Mooresville and grew up in Charlotte. He attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a Morehead scholar, graduating in 1974.
He attended Magdalen College of Oxford University as a Rhodes scholar, earning a master's degree in 1976, and graduated from UNC's law school in 1980.
McKnight worked as a state prosecutor in Mecklenburg County, then was elected a district judge in Mecklenburg County in 1988, winning re-election four years later. He served about 10 years as a federal magistrate before becoming a federal district judge.
In addition to his wife, McKnight is survived by three sons, Brent Jr., 10; Matthew, 9; and Stephen, 7. A funeral was planned for Tuesday at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews.
My mother died of this same miserable disease. I am sorry for him and his family. He was very young to die.
What causes it?
Genetic susceptibility.
Too much drinking and smoking, as well. Please, no flames. That's how my father-in-law went.
Condolences to the Judge's family and friends.
May he rest in peace.
Perhaps this is not the right time or place, but is it possible Tyson will be selected to replace Judge McKnight?
No flames, but it still pretty much goes back to genetics. Multitudes have smoked hard and drank hard, right into a ripe old age in the eighties and ninties-Winston Churchill, for instance.
Freegards.
Even assuming bad health habits 52 is young to die from such things, especially of Cancer.
Good question TR. I suppose we will just have to wait and see.
very sad story....
there is a disease called Barretts , I believe.....and it does have a corrollary to esophageal ulcers.....
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