Michael A. Mello

WHITE RIVER JUNCTION - Michael A. Mello, 51, died Nov. 23, 2008, at his home, following a brief illness.

He was born on March 24, 1957, in Washington, D.C., the son of Ida (Goldberg) Mello and Everett Mello.

He grew up in Arlington, Va., and received his B.A. in 1979 from Mary Washington College in Virginia, where he was recently honored as a distinguished alumnus. He received his J.D. from the University of Virginia, where he was articles editor of the Virginia Law Review.

After receiving his law degree in 1982, Mr. Mello clerked for the firm of Miller, Cassidy, Larroca and Lewin in Washington, D.C., and for Judge Robert S. Vance of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit in Birmingham, Ala. From 1983 to 1985, he served as assistant public defender for the Capital Appeals Division of the Florida Public Defender, West Palm Beach, before serving as senior assistant for the Office of Capital Collateral Representative for the state of Florida in Tallahassee. He served as co-chair of the Individual Rights and Responsibilities Committee of the Florida Bar and as chair of its Capital Punishment Subcommittee. From 1987 to 1988, he served as an associate in the firm of Wilmer, Cutler and Pickering, Washington, D.C., and concurrently taught a capital punishment seminar at the University of Maryland, School of Law. In 1988, he joined the Vermont Law School faculty, where he most recently taught constitutional criminal procedure and a seminar on capital punishment.

He authored books and articles relating to death penalty cases, including "Deathwork: Representing the Condemned," published in 2002, and "The Wrong Man: A True Story of Innocence on Death Row," published in 2001, both by the University of Minnesota Press. His book, "Legalizing Gay Marriage," was published in 2004 by Temple University Press. His work with Theodore Kaczynski led to his writing, "The United States of America vs. Theodore John Kaczyinski: Ethics, Power, and the Invention of the Unabomber," published in 1999 by Context Books.

Survivors include his wife, Deanna (Peterson) Mello, whom he married in 1995; two aunts and many cousins.

Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 2, at the Knight Funeral Home in White River Junction.

The memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3, at the Rollins Chapel in Hanover, N.H.

Vermont Law School will also hold a memorial celebration at a later date.

Memorial contributions may be made to Loan Repayment Assistance Program for Vermont Law School students involved in criminal defense work, checks payable to "Vermont Law School, Mello LRAP," and sent to VLS, PO Box 96, Chelsea Street, South Royalton, VT 05068.

View the guest book at www.rutlandherald.com/obits.