Garrett H. Byrne

Garrett H. Byrne (November 29, 1897 – September 21, 1989) was an American lawyer and politician who served as District Attorney of Suffolk County, Massachusetts, from 1952 to 1979.

Early life Byrne was born on November 29, 1897, in Roxbury, Boston. He attended Mechanic Arts High School, Burdett College, Boston University, and Suffolk Law School. He passed the bar in 1923 and began practicing law following his graduation the next year. During World War I, he served in the United States Navy. A close friend of Governor Paul A. Dever, Byrne was mentioned as a candidate for a number of prominent positions, including Boston Police Commissioner.

Foley died on December 1, 1952, and on December 17, Dever appointed Byrne to succeed him. SCIPP's work with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives led to convictions of organized crime leaders Raymond L. S. Patriarca, Enrico Tameleo, Peter Limone, and Ilario Zannino and political figures Paul J. Ellison and George Maitland. In 1965, Byrne had the Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston rematch banned from Boston, calling it a "setup", "unlicensed", and a "common nuisance." As a result, the fight was moved to Lewiston, Maine. In 1978, Byrne, then 80, was defeated in the Democratic primary by his former assistant district attorney, Newman A. Flanagan, who claimed that Byrne was too old to "fight the war against crime". During the campaign, the Boston Finance Commission announced that Byrne had "misrepresented" the qualifications of a company in order to grant two no-bid contracts to a former legal aide.