Michael Millman

Michael G. Millman (July 9, 1939 – May 31, 2014) was an American criminal defense lawyer, founder of the California Appellate Project, and an anti-death penalty activist.

Family and education Michael Millman was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., and he grew up in Summit, N.J. Millman was the only child of Sidney, a physicist, and Dorothy, a teacher.

Millman married Cynthia Taylor Millman. He had three children Dr. Laura Dillard, David Millman, and Matthew Millman. He had three stepchildren from his marriage to Cynthia; and 13 grandchildren.

In 1983, The State Bar of California created The California Appellate Project as a legal resource center to implement the constitutional right to counsel for indigent persons facing Capital punishment in California. At around the time of its founding, Millman became the director of CAP. Millman served as director of CAP for 30 years. In his role at CAP, he oversaw the efforts to assist private lawyers representing the more than 700 people on California's death row. Millman was also affiliated with the Death Penalty Information Center—working with Anthony Amsterdam—and served as President of its board.