Legendary Defense Attorney Richard Sharpstein Found Dead

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Famed criminal defense attorney Richard Sharpstein was found dead Tuesday morning at the age of 63. Sharpstein was a partner at the Akerman law firm in the National Litigation Practice Group.

Sharpstein spent nearly three decades in the practice of law. He focused on white collar criminal defenses, but he tried cases across a wide range of crimes including civil fraud, civil rights violations, and cases involving corporate executives, politicians, and other public figures.

Police said they are investigating the death as a possible suicide, indicating that a note was found at the scene.

The late attorney also worked as an Assistant State Attorney in Miami-Dade County and served as an adjunct professor in trial advocacy at the University of Miami.

Sharpstein defended police officers frequently including during the Leonardo Mercado trial in 1990. More recently, Sharpstein served as the attorney for Garret Wittels in a Bahamian rape case.