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Distinguished Law Alumni Praise Colleague Judge Larry Burns on NPR's Morning Edition

SAN DIEGO, January 20, 2011—Today, NPR's Morning Edition reporter Amita Sharma interviewed USD School of Law alumnus and U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Whelan, ’61 (BBA) and ’65 (JD), where he discussed his colleague and fellow USD law alumnus, 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Larry Burns, ’79. Judge Burns was selected to oversee the highly publicized case of Tucson, Ariz., shooting suspect Jared Loughner.

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"He's the kind of judge that, in my opinion, is going to call the balls and strikes as he sees them without any regard to who the victim was or who's making the objection," said Judge Whelan.

Judge Whelan has served on USD’s Law Alumni Association Board of Directors since 2002 and received a USD School of Law Distinguished Alumni Award in 2001. In 2008, the University of San Diego bestowed its highest honor to Judge Whelan, presenting him with the Arthur E. Hughes Career Achievement Award.

Also featured in the story is USD School of Law alumnus Peter Nunez, ’70.  A former U.S. Attorney, Nunez was a 1984 recipient of the USD School of Law’s Distinguished Alumni Award. Nunez hired Burns as a federal prosecutor and has watched his career closely over the years.

Listen to the story in its entirety.