Allan Kornblum
Encyclopedia
Allan Nathaniel Kornblum (March 4, 1938 – February 12, 2010) was a United States federal judge
and authored key parts of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act . During his career he also served as an adviser to the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court
, an FBI agent, a Treasury agent, a New York City Police officer, Director of Security for Princeton University
, and an officer
in the U.S. Army
.
Kornblum was born in New York City, New York. He attended Stuyvesant High School
in that city and was named all-city football
quarterback in 1954 . He earned degrees in police administration from Michigan State University
and a law degree from the New York University School of Law
.
In 1961 Kornblum joined the New York City Police Department before being drafted by the U.S. Army. He served in Korea and upstate New York before separating and joining the Federal Bureau of Investigation
. During his time in the FBI, Kornblum worked on Civil Rights
cases in Mississippi and bank robbery cases in New York City. From there Kornblum moved to Princeton University
to become the Director of Security while simultaneously earning a PhD, writing a dissertation on corruption in the New York City Police Department.
Kornblum was recruited by the Department of Justice to help reign in U.S. Government surveillance operations in the mid-1970s. He wrote key parts of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and oversaw the law's implementation for the next two decades. In particular he developed the policies for minimization; that the Government should only retain valuable intelligence information and not collect other private information. During this time Kornblum was involved in the investigations of such notable spies as John Anthony Walker
and Aldrich Ames
.
In 2003 Kornblum testified at a federal trial based on his experience with the FBI in Mississippi. Ernest Avants, a former Ku Klux Klan
member, was accused of killing Ben Chester White in 1967 . Kornblum testified Avants confessed to the crime, "'Yeah, I shot that nigger,'", but Avants added that when he shot White, another man had already shot him several times. Kornblum noted Avants' attorney advised him he would be acquitted as "you can't be convicted for killing a dead man." Avants was convicted and later died in prison.
Later that same year, Kornblum was appointed as a United States magistrate judge
for the Northern District of Florida. He assumed his office on October 17, 2003 and served until his death seven years later.
Allan Kornblum died of esophageal cancer
on February 12, 2010 at the University of Florida Shands Cancer Center in Gainesville, Florida
.
United States federal judge
In the United States, the title of federal judge usually means a judge appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate in accordance with Article II of the United States Constitution....
and authored key parts of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act . During his career he also served as an adviser to the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court
United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court
The United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court is a U.S. federal court authorized under , . It was established by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 . The FISC oversees requests for surveillance warrants against suspected foreign intelligence agents inside the United...
, an FBI agent, a Treasury agent, a New York City Police officer, Director of Security for Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, and an officer
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
in the U.S. Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
.
Kornblum was born in New York City, New York. He attended Stuyvesant High School
Stuyvesant High School
Stuyvesant High School , commonly referred to as Stuy , is a New York City public high school that specializes in mathematics and science. The school opened in 1904 on Manhattan's East Side and moved to a new building in Battery Park City in 1992. Stuyvesant is noted for its strong academic...
in that city and was named all-city football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback in 1954 . He earned degrees in police administration from Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
and a law degree from the New York University School of Law
New York University School of Law
The New York University School of Law is the law school of New York University. Established in 1835, the school offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in law, and is located in Greenwich Village, in the New York City borough of Manhattan....
.
In 1961 Kornblum joined the New York City Police Department before being drafted by the U.S. Army. He served in Korea and upstate New York before separating and joining the Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
. During his time in the FBI, Kornblum worked on Civil Rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
cases in Mississippi and bank robbery cases in New York City. From there Kornblum moved to Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
to become the Director of Security while simultaneously earning a PhD, writing a dissertation on corruption in the New York City Police Department.
Kornblum was recruited by the Department of Justice to help reign in U.S. Government surveillance operations in the mid-1970s. He wrote key parts of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and oversaw the law's implementation for the next two decades. In particular he developed the policies for minimization; that the Government should only retain valuable intelligence information and not collect other private information. During this time Kornblum was involved in the investigations of such notable spies as John Anthony Walker
John Anthony Walker
John Anthony Walker, Jr. is a former United States Navy Chief Warrant Officer and communications specialist convicted of spying for the Soviet Union from 1968 to 1985, at the height of the Cold War...
and Aldrich Ames
Aldrich Ames
Aldrich Hazen Ames is a former Central Intelligence Agency counter-intelligence officer and analyst, who, in 1994, was convicted of spying for the Soviet Union and Russia...
.
In 2003 Kornblum testified at a federal trial based on his experience with the FBI in Mississippi. Ernest Avants, a former Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
member, was accused of killing Ben Chester White in 1967 . Kornblum testified Avants confessed to the crime, "'Yeah, I shot that nigger,'", but Avants added that when he shot White, another man had already shot him several times. Kornblum noted Avants' attorney advised him he would be acquitted as "you can't be convicted for killing a dead man." Avants was convicted and later died in prison.
Later that same year, Kornblum was appointed as a United States magistrate judge
United States magistrate judge
In the United States federal courts, magistrate judges are appointed to assist United States district court judges in the performance of their duties...
for the Northern District of Florida. He assumed his office on October 17, 2003 and served until his death seven years later.
Allan Kornblum died of esophageal cancer
Esophageal cancer
Esophageal cancer is malignancy of the esophagus. There are various subtypes, primarily squamous cell cancer and adenocarcinoma . Squamous cell cancer arises from the cells that line the upper part of the esophagus...
on February 12, 2010 at the University of Florida Shands Cancer Center in Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
.