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Monday, December 10, 2012

DADE'S FIRST PUBLIC DEFENDER

Robert "Bob" Koeppel, Dade County's first Public Defender has passed away. He died on December 8, 2012. 

From the on line Obit:

Robert L. Koeppel, known to friends and family as Bob, passed away Thursday Dec 6th at South Miami Hospital. Bob was born in Jamaica New York on July 15, 1930. He was the second son of Aaron and Frances Koeppel. His father sold cars, used at first and then purchased and ran a new Dodge dealership. After Graduation from high school he attended University of Miami where he attained a degree in Psychology. He then went on to Law School graduating from UM Law in 1954. Bob began his legal career back in New York but quickly returned to South Florida where he became Dade County's first Public defender in 1957. He was re-elected to the position in 1965 and served the county as its first Public Defender for 13 years. Bob began his private practice after leaving the Public Defender's office. He was in private practice in the law firm of Koeppel, Stark, Marks and Newmark for many years ultimately retiring from the practice of law in 1990.


OK REGJB oldtimers: who has memories of Bob Koeppel? 

Read more here: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/herald/obituary.aspx?n=robert-l-koeppel&pid=161550188#storylink=cpy

9 comments:

Old PD said...

Whenever I think of the old PDs office, I think of the Ol Gunner- Steve Gunderson. Tried case after case back to back thus the moniker Machine Gun Gunderson a/k/a the ol gunner. Then he went back to Montana and managed his families land holdings, lots of natural gas, etc. Made millions. Married a playboy playmate, has a vacation house in Hawaii and I get a holiday card from him every year. Lucky guy but deserved it all.

Fact Checker said...

Steve Gunderson was outed on the House floor by the famously homophobic former California representative Bob Dornan during the debate over the federal Defense of Marriage Act in 1994. Even before re-election that year, Gunderson decided not to run in 1996. He and his then long time partner, Rob Morris, co-wrote a book titled House and Home published in 1997.

Anonymous said...

Wrong guy. The ol' gunner from Miami wasn't gay. And he wasn't in Congress. Not that there's anything wrong with it.

Anonymous said...

5:01 shumie time legit.

fins fan said...


dolphins are the biggest favorite this coming week. Boy, they are finally getting the respect they deserve.

fins fan said...


The Fins are serious when it comes to signing a marque wide receiver. No, they didn;t resign Ocho Cinco or T.O.; no, they just signed the highly sought after ARMON BINNS.

Watch out Jacksonville; watch out NFL.

Rumpole said...

The guy who tried to post about the incident with a porsche- please send me an email. I would like to discuss this with you before I post it.

HR

Anonymous said...

Redbull OFF the bench PLs!
had a case with him few days back
my guy had no priors he wants to give him 9 years for possn of coke just because he wanted to take it to jury trial,,REDBULL BELONGS IN CIVIL IF ANYTHING...

Anonymous said...

6:53 p.m. - I'm in front if Rebull every day, I'm calling BS!
1. That never happened
2. It couldn't happen, cocaine possession is a 3rd degree felony; maxed out at 5 years.
3. Rebull RARELY makes a Court offer.