San Diego Criminal Justice Memorial
Honorees
A memorial directory honoring deceased judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys who advanced criminal justice in San Diego County.
Stephen Joseph Perrello, Jr.
1948-2006
Steve Perrello was born in Buffalo, New York on August 25, 1946. He earned his bachelor’s degree in French from Cornell University, his law degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law, and a Ph.D in Criminal Justice at Rutgers University. For over twenty years, he specialized in criminal appellate and habeas corpus work as a solo practitioner because he felt that “the test of a society was how it dealt with those who transgressed.” (SDUT 3/24/06). He also worked at Appellate Defenders.
Two of his successful suits involved recognizing the civil rights of those on parole and invalidating a county sales tax imposed to build more jails. He told a colleague, “If we keep building ‘em, they’ll keep filling ‘em.” (Id.) In 1980, he co-chaired the San Diego County Bar Association’s Jail Facilities Committee. He frequently represented mentally disabled offenders and struggled to have them appropriately housed in the limited supply of hospital beds or residential treatment facilities rather than jails (SDUT 7/13/87).
He obtained a new trial for Chester Holliday by showing he received ineffective assistance when his trial counsel failed to investigate the case and failed to call witnesses to support the defense that his wife was alive when he left for work. Holliday was acquitted on retrial (with new counsel), and subsequently secured a million-dollar malpractice award (SDUT 8/10/87). Perrello accepted many appointments from the Court of Appeal, and often obtained relief for his defendants, including juveniles.
In the years prior to his death on March 14, 2006, Perrello devoted more time to scholarly research and teaching at Alliant University and enjoyed deep philosophical discussions. His obituary described him as “a loyal, caring, and loving friend. His ringing laugh and zest for life brightened every occasion.” (SDUT 3/24/06).
Although he eventually lost his valiant battle against brain cancer, his friends were inspired by his unselfish demeanor during his long illness. (Id.)