Fred Graham, chief anchor and managing editor of Court TV, will deliver "Antiterrorism: Personal Liberties Versus National Security" on Sunday, March 28, at 3 p.m. at Fairfield University's Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts. Graham's talk is part of Open VISIONS Forum, a program of University College.

A Court TV host since the network launched in 1991, Graham draws on an illustrious career both in front of the camera and as a trusted counsel to many government concerns for his insightful reports.

"The nation is currently debating the limits of personal freedom being compromised by ominous worldwide terrorist threats," said Philip Eliasoph, Ph.D., founder/director of Open VISIONS Forum. "We are indeed fortunate to have Fred Graham's long range views on this timely theme."

Over the past 35 years, Graham's worn many hats - as a practicing attorney, a government official, a legal writer for The New York Times and a CBS News law correspondent. Most recently, he's known to viewers as the host of the daily trial coverage and analysis program "Open Court."

Graham has received numerous awards for his reporting, including the George Foster Peabody Award and two American Bar Association Silver Gavel Awards, and he participated in three Emmy Awards. In addition, he is the author of four books, including "The Self-Inflicted Wound" (MacMillan, 1970), a look at the criminal law decisions of the Warren Court, and "Happy Talk" (W.W. Norton & Co., 1990), which considers issues surrounding television news.

Graham served as law correspondent for CBS from 1972 through 1987, covering the activities of the U.S. Supreme Court, the Justice Department, the FBI and the legal profession. He often served as substitute anchor on "Face the Nation," "Nightwatch" and "The CBS Morning News."

During those years, Graham lent his expertise to radio, hosting a weekly commentary "The Law and You," and covered the Watergate cover-up and the trials of David Ellsberg, John Connally, John Hinkley and John DeLorean.

Graham came to CBS from The New York Times, where he was Supreme Court correspondent from 1965 through 1972. Prior to that he served as Special Assistant to Secretary of Labor W. Willard Wirtz and was deputy chief counsel of the President's Committee of Equal Employment Opportunity.

Born in Little Rock, Ark., Graham attended Yale University on an academic scholarship, receiving his bachelor of arts degree before serving the U.S. Marine Corps from 1953 to 1956 in Korea and Japan. Upon his return, he received his law degree from Vanderbilt Law School, where he was managing editor of the Law Review, and attended Oxford University on a Fulbright Scholarship. He practiced law in Nashville from 1960 to 1963.

Graham's articles have appeared in many newspapers, magazines and law reviews, including the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Harper's, Esquire, The New Republic and The American Bar Association Journal. He is a founding member of the Reporter's Committee for Freedom of the Press and is a member of its steering committee. In 1980, he served as a Regent's Lecturer at Boalt Hall, the School of Law at the University of California at Berkeley and in 1992, Vanderbilt Law School named Graham its Distinguished Alumnus of the Year.

Graham is married to Skila Harris, a director of the Tennessee Valley Authority.

Graham's talk is the sixth of seven Open VISIONS Forums this season. The program continues on Wednesday, April 21, with Ted Kennedy Jr, the son of the Massachusetts senator, who is an advocate for civil rights and health care for those with disabilities and terminal illnesses.

Tickets are $22, $18.50 for seniors. For tickets, call the Quick Center box office at (203) 254-4010 or toll free at 1-877-ARTS-396. For more information, visit the website www.quickcenter.com. Media inquiries should be made to Dana Ambrosini, Fairfield University's assistant director of media relations, at (203) 254-4000, ext. 2726.

Posted On: 03-05-2004 10:03 AM

Volume: 36 Number: 212