Mickey Cohen

In 1957, ''[[Time (magazine)|TIME]]'' magazine wrote a brief article{{cite news| url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,862547,00.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111019191524/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,862547,00.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=October 19, 2011 | magazine=Time | title=People, Apr. 15, 1957 | date=April 15, 1957}} about Cohen's meeting with [[Christianity|Christian]] [[Evangelism|evangelist]] [[Billy Graham]]. Cohen said: "I am very high on the Christian way of life. Billy came up, and before we had food he said—What do you call it, that thing they say before food? [[Grace (prayer)|Grace]]? Yeah, grace. Then we talked a lot about Christianity and stuff." Allegedly when Cohen did not change his lifestyle, he was confronted by Christian acquaintances. His response: "Christian football players, Christian cowboys, Christian politicians; why not a Christian gangster?"{{citation needed|date=May 2022}}

In 1957, ''[[Time (magazine)|TIME]]'' magazine wrote a brief article{{cite news| url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,862547,00.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111019191524/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,862547,00.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=October 19, 2011 | magazine=Time | title=People, Apr. 15, 1957 | date=April 15, 1957}} about Cohen's meeting with [[Christianity|Christian]] [[Evangelism|evangelist]] [[Billy Graham]]. Cohen said: "I am very high on the Christian way of life. Billy came up, and before we had food he said—What do you call it, that thing they say before food? [[Grace (prayer)|Grace]]? Yeah, grace. Then we talked a lot about Christianity and stuff." Allegedly when Cohen did not change his lifestyle, he was confronted by Christian acquaintances. His response: "Christian football players, Christian cowboys, Christian politicians; why not a Christian gangster?"{{citation needed|date=May 2022}}

Cohen was friends with [[Melvin Belli]], who also served as his lawyer.{{cite news |last1=Helmore |first1=Edward |title=Obituaries: Melvin Belli |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituaries-melvin-belli-1328201.html |work=The Independent |date=11 July 1996}}{{cite book |last1=Belli |first1=Melvin |title=My Life on Trial: An Autobiography |date=1976 |publisher=Morrow |page=160}} Belli referred to Cohen as a "gentleman of great courtliness and charm". He served as a babysitter for Belli's son Caesar,{{cite book |last1=Belli |first1=Melvin |title=My Life on Trial: An Autobiography |date=1976 |publisher=Morrow |page=232}} and at one point he was loaned $3000 by Belli.{{cite book |last1=Newton |first1=Michael |title=Mr. Mob The Life and Crimes of Moe Dalitz |date=2009 |publisher=McFarland |page=175}} In 1958 Cohen was indicted for assaulting a federal officer, with Belli defending him. The result was a [[jury deadlock]].{{cite book |last1=Tereba |first1=Tere |title=Mickey Cohen: The Life and Crimes of L.A.'s Notorious Mobster |date=2012 |publisher=ECW Press |page=214}} In 1959 he represented Cohen's girlfriend, the stripper [[Candy Barr]], after she was arrested on possession of marijuana.{{cite news |title=Mobster Revokes Stripper's Bail |work=Lakeland Ledger |date=22 November 1959}} When Belli had a squabble with the [[American Bar Association]] (ABA), he decided to get them back by inviting Cohen, branded as Professor Julian O'Brien of Harvard, to deliver a seminar on tax law at the ABA's Miami convention at same time as he was under indictment for tax evasion. Cohen's talk was unserious and concluded with "My parting advice to you guys is, 'Pay your taxes'".

Cohen was friends with [[Melvin Belli]], who also served as his lawyer.{{cite news |last1=Helmore |first1=Edward |title=Obituaries: Melvin Belli |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituaries-melvin-belli-1328201.html |work=The Independent |date=11 July 1996}}{{cite book |last1=Belli |first1=Melvin |title=My Life on Trial: An Autobiography |date=1976 |publisher=Morrow |page=160}} Belli referred to Cohen as a "gentleman of great courtliness and charm". He served as a babysitter for Belli's son Caesar,{{cite book |last1=Belli |first1=Melvin |title=My Life on Trial: An Autobiography |date=1976 |publisher=Morrow |page=232}} and at one point he was loaned $3000 by Belli.{{cite book |last1=Newton |first1=Michael |title=Mr. Mob The Life and Crimes of Moe Dalitz |date=2009 |publisher=McFarland |page=175}} In 1958 Cohen was indicted for assaulting a federal officer, with Belli defending him. The result was a [[jury deadlock]].{{cite book |last1=Tereba |first1=Tere |title=Mickey Cohen: The Life and Crimes of L.A.'s Notorious Mobster |date=2012 |publisher=ECW Press |page=214}} In 1959 he represented Cohen's girlfriend, the stripper [[Candy Barr]], after she was arrested on possession of marijuana.{{cite news |title=Mobster Revokes Stripper's Bail |work=Lakeland Ledger |date=22 November 1959}} When Belli had a squabble with the [[American Bar Association]] (ABA), he decided to get them back by inviting Cohen, branded as Professor Julian O'Brien of Harvard, to deliver a seminar on tax law at the ABA's Miami convention at the same time as he was under indictment for tax evasion. Cohen's talk was unserious and concluded with "My parting advice to you guys is, 'Pay your taxes'".

[[File:Mickey Cohen, 1975.jpg|thumb|Cohen speaking at the Ex-Felon Consortium in 1975]]

[[File:Mickey Cohen, 1975.jpg|thumb|Cohen speaking at the Ex-Felon Consortium in 1975]]