Jim Lane Collection

Tarrant County Archives > Holdings > Named Collections > L > Lane, Jim

Biographical Note

James “Jim” Warren Lane was born to Wesley and Glyn Lane on June 4, 1944, in Uvalde, Texas. He was one of two children. Jim Lane gained an admiration for Fort Worth during his summers with his grandparents and was ecstatic when he moved there at a young age, surrounding himself with Fort Worth cowboy culture and the Native American traditions passed down by his grandfather. He graduated from Arlington Heights High School, Texas Christian University, and Baylor School of Law before joining the United States Army, where he graduated from the Judge Advocate School and served as a captain for five years. One of his first and most recognizable cases there was defending Kenneth Schiel, Eugene Kotouc, and Charles Hutto in the trials regarding the operation that occurred at My Lai (4) on March 16, 1968, for which he successfully won their acquittal. After completing his service, he returned to Fort Worth where he practiced law.

In addition to practicing law, when Jim Lane returned to Fort Worth he became an advocate for his city, Native Americans, military veterans, and first responders. He fought to make “Molly” the longhorn the official symbol of Fort Worth, was essential to the creation of the Longhorn Herd, and created a home for aged herd animals. He championed members and families of the Fort Worth Police Officers Association and Fort Worth Firefighters Local 440 and was a founding member of the Fort Worth Police and Firefighter Memorial. Jim Lane also acted as a civil rights activist, advocating for the betterment of Native American heritage. Additionally, he held the torch for historic preservation by restoring two North Side properties, championing the Fort Worth Cats minor league baseball team, and seeking the renovation of LaGrave Field.

Aside from these endeavors, Jim Lane served his community through various organizations. Among these organizations he was the President of the Tarrant County Hospital District, President of the Tarrant County MHMR Board, Regional Vice President of the National Transportation Safety Board, President of the Fort Worth Sports Authority, Board member of Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and a lifelong member of the NAACP. In politics, he was first elected to Fort Worth City Council in 1993 where he would serve six terms, including a brief period as the Mayor Pro Tem. In 2006, Jim Lane was elected to the Tarrant Regional Water District Board where he worked to protect and preserve Fort Worth's water supply for the current citizens and the generations to follow.

Jim Lane sitting on fence next to horse in front of the Live Stock Exchange Building.

Jim Lane and horse in front of Live Stock Exchange Building, undated

Black and white photo of Jim Lane and Eugene Kotouc in full military uniform.

Jim Lane and Eugene Kotouc, defendant in the My Lai trials, c. 1970

Scope and Content

The Jim Lane Collection contains artifacts, correspondences, documents, ephemera, legal documents, images, maps, negatives, newspapers, newspaper clippings, photographs, posters, publications, records, and scrapbooks. These materials range in date from 1900 to 2022, with most of the items being from 1968 to 1973. The majority of archival materials in the Jim Lane Collection relate to the trials over the operation that occurred at My Lai (4) on March 16, 1968, since he represented three of the soldiers charged for the massacre. The remaining materials relate to Jim Lane’s role as a lawyer, advocate, and politician in the city of Fort Worth and his personal life.

Materials in this collection consist of the following:

Life and career

Awards, plaques, and certificates of appreciation

  • Ballet Folklorico Azteca De Fort Worth; Bandung City Government, Indonesia; Belmont Terrace Neighborhood Association; Comanche Nation; Combined Law Enforcement Association of Texas; Community Youth Development Program; Far Northside Neighborhood Advisory Council; Fort Worth Herd; Fort Worth Sister Cities, International; King Kids; Mongolia Government;  LaGrave Field; Neighborhood Housing Services of Fort Worth, Inc.; Primera Baptist Church; Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association membership certificates; Texas Motor Speedway; U.S. Army Commendation Medal; Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, 1973-2020, undated
  • Certificates awarded to Lane's relatives - Mrs. Jessie Joyce for services rendered to the Nation; Mrs. John Joyce as a life member of the Women's Society of Christian Service of the Methodist Church, 1941-1955; William W. Lane appreciation from Franklin Roosevelt for military service, 1944

Campaigns

  • City of Fort Worth Certificates of Election, 1995-2001
  • Jim Lane Mayor Pro Tem Certificate of Authenticity, 1999
  • Publication related to Lane's campaign for congress, undated
  • Jim Lane campaign pins, undated
  • Jim Lane campaign sign, undated

Case Information

  • Judgment of Court and Decree of Total Divorce, Mann v. Mann, 1972
  • Materials related to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) case against Steven Nail, including conversation transcripts and a scrapbook, c. 1984
  • Notice of Electric Filing, USA v. Pileggi, 2009
  • General notes from Jim Lane's cases, undated

Ephemera

  • Flyer for the Law Office of Jim Lane P.C., 1993
  • Cowboys of Color 3rd Annual Invitational Rodeo poster, 1998
  • Lane Celebration of Life pamphlet from funeral, 2022
  • Fabric sign in support of Molly (cow on the Fort Worth logo), undated
  • Various materials related to Lane's career in law and politics including membership cards, business cards, envelopes, resumes, and letters, undated

Images

  • Caricature of Jim Lane, 1994
  • Ben Tahmahkera photograph, 1995
  • Photographs of the Chisholm Trail Parade, 1983
  • Stockyards illustrations, 1984
  • Panoramic photograph reproduction of Hoot Gibson's Rodeo at the 1932 State Fair of Texas, 1986
  • Photographs of events the Fort Worth Stockyards, undated
  • Photographs of Native American men, undated
  • Photographs of Jim Lane campaigns, undated
  • Photographic postcards of Fort Worth Stockyards, undated

Other

  • Margaret Gatty estate document, 1900
  • Texas Christian University diploma, 1966
  • Baylor University diploma, 1969
  • Supreme Court and State of Texas certificates to practice law, 1969-1973
  • Map of Tarrant County voting precincts, 1986
  • Scrapbook related to the Fort Worth Herd, 1998-2000
  • Leonard's M&O Subway last ride hat and pin, 2002
  • Materials related to the dedication of the Fort Worth Police and Fire Fighters Memorial, 2009
  • Comanche Indian Veterans Association Honorary Member certificate, 2015
  • Jim Lane's military boots, undated
  • Letter from Jack (dog), undated
  • Letter from Ben Tahmahkera with poem, undated
  • Vietnam Veterans Memorial rubbing, undated

My Lai Trials

During his time serving in the U.S. Army, Jim Lane acted as the defense attorney for three military personnel, Kenneth Schiel, Eugene Kotouc, and Charles Hutto, who were involved in the My Lai massacre in Vietnam. The massacre occurred on March 16, 1968. Materials related to the My Lai trials date from 1968-1973, while additional related materials date from 1960-1987.

Court Documents

  • affidavits; agendas; appeal of denial of request for individual military council; Criminal Investigation Division (CID) reports of investigation; charge sheets; complaints; confidential inquiry documents; correspondence; court martial charges; court orders; criminal justice military structure information; effect of O'Callahan v. Parker; incident reports; list of exhibits; list of network coverage; maps of My Lai; military police receipt for property; motions; notes; orders; peer's inquiry; petition for grants of review; polygraph examination; pretrial statement; privileged communications; proffer of evidence in support of motion to dismiss; prosecution instructions

Other

  • Photographs during trial, include images taken at Fort McPherson in Atlanta, GA of William Baugh, William Calley, Herbert Cohen, Robert DeMetz, Wilson Freeman, Charles Hutto, Warren Horton, Eugene Kotouc, Jim Lane, Ed McGill, and Franklin Wurtzel
  • Press coverage, list of publications covering the trial, publication index
  • Political cartoons related to the military, government, and My Lai