Thomas C. Wales

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Thomas Crane Wales (b. 1952 Boston, d. 2001 Seattle) was a federal prosecutor and gun control advocate from Seattle, Washington, who was the victim of an unsolved murder.

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[edit] Early life

Wales was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Wales was a graduate of Milton Academy, where he was roommates was Joseph Patrick Kennedy II, whose father Robert Kennedy was assassinated. Wales graduated from Harvard University. He attended Hofstra Law School, where he graduated with distinction in 1979 and served as the Editor-in-Chief of the school's Law Review.

[edit] Justice Department career

Wales worked as an assistant U.S. Attorney in Seattle specializing in the investigation and prosecution of fraud in banking and business.[1]

[edit] Activism

In 1995, a student at the high school that Wales's son attended brought a gun to school and shot and injured two classmates. Soon after, Wales became involved in Washington CeaseFire, mostly visibly as a vocal supporter of an unsuccessful 1997 state referendum that would have required gun owners to use trigger locks. Wales later became president of CeaseFire. As a community volunteer, he was active in civic organizations and served as a trustee of the Federal Bar Association.

[edit] Death

On the evening of October 11, 2001, Wales was sitting at his computer in his home office in his basement when a gunman avoiding the security lights in his backyard shot Wales through a window in the neck with a handgun. The killer left shell casings behind. The shots were heard by a neighbor who called 911.[2]

[edit] Murder investigation

As of 2007, this murder case remains unsolved and no evidence has been found to establish a motive.[3][4] An airplane pilot that Wales had prosecuted was investigated and his home searched, but he was not charged. The pilot later filed a malicious prosecution claim seek, but the suit was dismissed.[5]

It has been suggested by the media that John McKay's dismissal was in part due to his request that resource allocation for the Wales investigation remain high. In June of 2007, the FBI cut the staff assigned to the case down to two. There is an open reward of one million U.S. dollars for information leading to the conclusion of the case.[6][7]

[edit] Legacy

In his memory, the Thomas C. Wales Foundation was set up to support civil commitment. Marlis DeJong organizes the annual Tom Wales Memorial 5K Run.

[edit] References

  1. ^ An Unsolved Killing August 6, 2007, The New Yorker
  2. ^ Federal Prosecutor and Advocate of Gun Control Is Shot to Death October 2001
  3. ^ Unsolved murder: Investigation into the shooting of Tom Wales moves slowly December 19, 2001
  4. ^ Assassination on Queen Anne: A year later, there are few leads in the slaying of assistant U.S. attorney and gun-control advocate Tom Wales September 18, 2002
  5. ^ FBI scours 2 houses owned by pilot in Wales case September 20, 2006
  6. ^ FBI Seeking Information - Thomas Crane Wales<
  7. ^ FBI cuts agents looking into murder of Tom Wales: At least two will remain on case of federal prosecutor June 3, 2006


Persondata
NAME Wales, Thomas C.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION Federal prosecutor and gun control advocate from
DATE OF BIRTH 1952
PLACE OF BIRTH Boston, United States
DATE OF DEATH 2001
PLACE OF DEATH Seattle, Washington, United States