American Bar Association to honor Garo

Lawyer Victor Garo has fought for his most famous client, Joe Salvati, for 31 years without a paycheck. In legal circles, that either makes him a saint or, as Garo likes to say, "a dumb, bald guy from Medford."

Now the American Bar Association has announced it will honor Garo on Aug. 10 with the Edmund S. Muskie Pro Bono Award. The bar will present the award in New York at the United Nations Building during its 75th anniversary dinner. Not bad for the dumb, bald guy from Meford.

"His commitment to the rule of law and service above self are examples for all lawyers to follow," said Peter Bennet, who chairs the ABA's torts, trial and insurance section.

Garo said he instantly knew Salvati was innocent once he reviewed the facts of the case -- a 1965 mob murder orchestrated by the FBI's prize witness Joe Barboza.

Garo finally won Salvati's freedom in 1997 with a governor's pardon for the North End truck driver who spent 30 years behind bars. A Justice Department investigation by special prosecutor John Durham later uncovered secret FBI memos exhonerating Salvati. The Suffolk District Attorney dropped the charges in 2001.

Garo helped win a record civil judgement for Garo and his family last year. The Justice Department's appeal brief is due July 31.

When Garo takes the podium to collect his honors, he no doubt will mention his mother and father. Garo's parents had one request when they celebrated their son's graduation from Boston University Law School. "Help people," Garo recalls they told him over lunch that day.