Redding Pitt (AP Photo/Haraz Ghanbari)

NAFUSA member Redding Pitt died on Sunday, February 7, 2016. Pitt, 71, served as the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama, 1994-2001. He also served as the chief deputy attorney general for the State of Alabama and chaired the Alabama Democrat Party from 2001 to 2005.

The Montgomery Advertiser reported on Monday, February 8, 2016:

A native of the Tennessee Valley in north Alabama, Pitt got his bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama and his law degree from the Boston College School of Law. Prior to law school, Pitt served in the Army and spent a year in Vietnam, where he won the Bronze Star.

 

After serving in different capacities in Washington, Pitt returned to Alabama in 1981, serving in the attorney general’s office until 1994. U.S. President Bill Clinton nominated him to be U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama that year, and Pitt served until Clinton left office in 2001. During his time as a federal prosecutor, Pitt’s office led or participated in investigations that resulted in felony convictions for four allies of former Gov. Jim Folsom, Jr., a Democrat. The governor himself was subjected to a lengthy investigation but never charged.

 

After stepping down as federal prosecutor, Pitt joined Ferris, Riley and Pitt.

Brad Pigott reports that

Redding, post-Vietnam, was, among so many other wonderful and adventurous things, Bobby Kennedy’s favorite advance man in his ill-fated 1968 campaign, specifically assigned by the Kennedy family (because of Redding’s popularity with them, and his military background) to be in charge of all logistics for the receipt of RFK’s casket at Union Station in DC and the journey by all officialdom to Arlington for RFK’s burial.

Doug Jones furnished a photo of RFK taken when he spoke at the University of Alabama right after he announced his candidacy in 1968. Redding is the “young dark haired student sitting to Kennedy’s left” Doug points out.

Pitt is survived by his son, William, and two stepchildren. Services were held on Monday, February 15, at Canterbury Methodist in Birmingham, Alabama, with burial in Decatur. At the request of NAFUSA, an American flag was flown over Main Justice on February 8, and was presented to the family by NAFUSA Vice President Doug Jones. Click here to view full obituary. Memorial contributions may be made to The Firehouse Shelter, P.O. Box 11722, Birmingham, AL 35202.