Tom Rose

Throughout his years of legal practice, Richmond General District Judge Ralph B. Robertson had a reputation of being colorful, unfettered and bombastic in the courtroom. Judge Robertson heard a slew of criminal cases over the years, presiding over ones involving drunks, drug dealers, prostitutes, murderers and the mentally ill. The Richmond resident died Tuesday at the age of 62.

The idea of practicing law came later in life for Judge Robertson, who once convened his court on a street corner in the East End, arriving on one of his big motorcycles wearing a red helmet and biker boots. Before becoming a top criminal lawyer, he faced a difficult childhood, spending time in an orphanage and foster home while his parents were estranged.

His stature and aggressive nature helped him earn a football scholarship to Virginia Military Institute. Described as brilliant by some of his peers, he had no problem getting an academic scholarship after dropping off the team.

His pickup truck license tag of 157 referred to his IQ.

After earning a bachelor's degree in mathematics in 1965, he obtained a master's degree in high-energy physics from Duke University. He was pursuing a Ph.D. in physics when he decided to become a lawyer.

"His trademark was that he was a step or two ahead of most lawyers. He was very bright and had very many years of experience as a prosecutor," said Richmond lawyer Michael M. Morchower. "Most of us were convinced he was in that range and gave him the respect he was due."

During his first and second years at University of Virginia School of Law, he drove the patrol wagon for the Virginia Beach Police Department on weekend nights.

After law school in 1971, he worked loading trucks, hoping for a stint as criminal-trial lawyer after having turned down offers from big firms to do patent law.

He began as a part-time prosecutor before switching to criminal defense when prosecutors working in large jurisdictions were required by law to work full time.

Before the switch, however, he challenged the legislation. He sued his boss, got fired for it and won a court order reinstating him in the part-time job.

As a defense attorney, he worked high-profile cases and defended seven men in capital-murder cases.

In a 1983 high-profile case, he defended a man, charged with killing a supervisor at a lead-smelting plant where he worked. Mr. Robertson, in his appeal, argued that his client's severe lead poisoning meant he had been involuntarily intoxicated.

The argument failed, but his client was convicted on lesser charges.

Mr. Robertson spent 19 years as a General District Court judge, often tough on defendants, including landlords who didn't keep their buildings up to code, habitual drunks and repeat offenders.

Morchower, who had known Judge Robertson since he was an assistant commonwealth's attorney in the 1970s, said he was "very diligent and very thorough" in his cases.

"He prosecuted cases with the philosophy that everyone should have a fair trial and was very capable representing the city of Richmond," Morchower said.

But in 2004, Judge Robertson's fairness as a judge was questioned after the Richmond Free Press made public racially charged messages Judge Robertson had posted on the Yahoo! "Atticus" message board.

Accusations of racism emerged, and after being threatened with the exposure of the postings, Judge Robertson stepped down from the bench.

Many in the legal community were shocked by Judge Robertson's postings, some of which read: "We have had more people killed in the city I live in by minorities in the last 15 years than ever were supposedly lynched. When do they get through being even?" and "Racism is alive and well in this country."

In the postings, Judge Robertson tried to explain his position, saying he did not discriminate against individuals but believed there were differences between the races.

In an e-mail to the Free Press, he wrote: "My heart and my deepest apology go out to the black community in the city of Richmond. I want them to know that I have never done anything in my court that has ever reflected racism."

Judge Robertson is survived by his wife, Patricia Lee Robertson; one daughter, Ann Byron Robertson Vaughters; and one son, Benjamin Nicholas Robertson.

A funeral will be held Friday at 2 p.m. at the Central Chapel of Bennett Funeral Home, 3215 Cutshaw Ave. Burial will take place in Hollywood Cemetery.