A veteran South Florida attorney died on Friday morning after suffering a medical crisis while waiting in a federal courtroom, according to reports.
Around 10:40 a.m., Miami Fire Rescue responded to a medical emergency at the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. United States Courthouse, according to MFR Lt. Pete Sanchez. A man was brought to Jackson Memorial Hospital with a medical emergency.
According to a site that covers South Florida’s federal court system, the guy was Paul Donnelly, who was scheduled for a sentence hearing before District Judge Jacqueline Becerra. Prior to the arrival of Miami Fire Rescue, he was assisted by US Marshals Service agents and co-counsel.
Donnelly, who practiced law for over 30 years, was 57.
“What an absolute tragedy,” the post stated. “Paul Donnelly, a truly lovely guy and outstanding lawyer, passed away this morning. “He died pursuing justice.”
Donnelly recently defended the first defendant to plead guilty in the murder-for-hire case involving prominent Miami-Dade developer Sergio Pino, who committed suicide on July 16 before being charged with allegedly orchestrating a conspiracy to murder his 55-year-old wife, Tatiana.
Donnelly’s friends and coworkers left condolences on the federal court blog.
In an interview with the Miami Herald, Senior Judge Robert N. Scola Jr. remembered Donnelly as a hardworking, kind attorney. When Scola became a judge in the mid-1990s, Donnelly was one of the first associate public defenders appointed to his courtroom, and he rapidly became a respected advocate, according to Scola.
“He was an excellent young lawyer. “He fought hard for his clients while remaining a gentleman,” added Scola, who expressed shock at Donnelly’s death. “It is such a shame that someone that young was taken from us.”
Attorney Eddie Pereira described Donnelly as “one of the nicest and funniest attorneys I have ever had the pleasure to work with and call my friend,” in a blog post.
The couple collaborated on Pereira’s first federal trial, which happened to be before Scola.
“Paul made all of us laugh at every sidebar, including Judge Scola,” Pereira wrote in his account of the trial. “I will miss him very much.”
Attorney Christian Dunham added to the site that “Donnelly was really smart, an excellent trial lawyer, funny as hell, and was always willing to take younger lawyers under his wing.”
“He enjoyed our work, talking basketball, and all things Boston!!! “Rest in peace to the big guy from Fall River,” Dunham added.