RIP Michael Tarre

  A really good guy. I'll miss Michael, who always had a funny comment or story when I saw him. Joel Hirschhorn wrote this amazing and touching tribute to him on the listserv:

Michael Tarre was my best friend ever since the day I met him on the last  Friday in April, 1969. I had filed a Motion to Suppress the seizure of two joints ( in those days a felony). Michael was the assigned prosecutor. His supervisor, Barbara Schwartz. The Judge, Jack Turner. 

 The Motion was to be heard that morning. Michael came over to me just before Court started, introduced himself:

       “Mr. Hirschhorn, I am Assistant State Attorney Michael Tarre. I have read your  

        Motion and I believe it is well taken. I am going to nolle pros [whatever that

        meant  as I had been practicing all of 16 month at the time].”

      I asked Micheal what that meant. He explained: “Case over.” I was overjoyed. Could not believe my luck. I had earned my $750.00 fee. Thrilled, I invited Michael to dinner that night [today you might get indicted for that]. My then wife was less than thrilled because  she was 8 months, three weeks pregnant. Michael and I struck it off immediately during dinner. 

   A week later my eldest son, Bennnett, was born (hence I remember when I met Michael). Of course I had to invite  my new friend Michael to Bennett’s bris. Two and half years later, my other son, Douglas, was born. And of course I invited  Michael to be His godfather, a role Michael took very seriously. And those  of us who were privileged to knew Michael outside his outstanding professional life, recognized how steadfastly and uniquely devoted he was to his sister, Bonnie. 

 Michael had one of the best senses of humor known to man. Sharp, often stinging, but alway well meaning, witty and of course very straight faced funny. For my 30th birthday, March 13, 1973,  Michael gave me an elaborately wrapped and oversized package. Taped to the outside of the gift wrapping was a note: “To the biggest clown in circus court.” What was wrapped inside?, A brand spanking new unicycle. I damn near broke my neck trying to ride it. I can still hear Michael  cackling with laughter.

 Then there were the dozens,  and I mean dozens,  of times Michael  and I tried cases together in Florida, North Carolina  and other States. Michael was easily the most underrated lawyer in the Criminal Bar. Quiet,  but very effective, rock solid, brilliant strategist, sarcastic, humorous. Impossible to adequately describe how great it was to be in the same courtroom in a trial with Michael. Michael’s earning an acquittal for  Judge Howard “Mousie” Gross is legendary. But in typical  Michael fashion he shrugged it off as just another weeks  work in Court. 

  One time he and I convinced a Federal Judge in North Carolina to charge the jury with (what the Fourth Circuit eventually opined) was a non existing crime: Aiding and Abetting a Conspiracy. And there was the time when he and I (and Sky Smith) were trying a case in front of Joe Eaton (one of the greatest Judges ever). Sky’s client had a prosthesis for his left arm and hand. I had to sit next to Michael for three weeks, trying to contain my laughter at his constantly clever  barrage of comments about how the USMS was able/going  to handcuff Sky’s client. 

   I can go on and on. I loved Michael, but I am very angry at him. We had a deal. Michael was supposed to do my eulogy. It was one sentence he crafted in his typical witty fashion:  “No one was neutral about Joel Hirschhorn.” And I in turn agreed to do Michael’s one sentence eulogy: “Everyone who met, worked with,  or opposed, Michael loved him.” Truer words were never written. 

   We all have lost a great lawyer, a remarkable person. I have lost but will forever remember and cherish my best friend.

Joel