By: Donald V. Watkins
Copyrighted and Published on March 24, 2025
An Editorial Opinion
Most people knew Benjamin Bryan Starr as the father of legendary NFL quarterback Bart Starr. I knew him in a totally different way.
When I met Benjamin Bryan Starr, the judges, court personnel, and attorneys in the Montgomery County, Alabama Courthouse called him “Chief Starr.” The former World War II Air Force veteran served as a bailiff in the courthouse following his retirement as a labor foreman with the state highway department.
Chief Starr, who was of Native American descent, took a special interest in me during his years as a bailiff in the courthouse. He admired my work in the high-profile Bernard Whitehurst and Scottsboro Boys cases in the 1970s.
A Powerful Ally
In his own way, Chief Starr blocked for me within the walls of the Montgomery County courthouse during the early 1980s much like Mary Griffin Auburtin blocked for me in the Perry County courthouse during the 1970s. Both courthouse icons made it their mission to minimize the amount of bigotry and racism I experienced from judges and court personnel in their courthouses.
Like Auburtin, Chief Starr was openly friendly with me. He was also very knowledgeable about courthouse politics, and he freely shared this knowledge with me.
Chief Starr loved to walk me into the judge’s private chambers right before the start of my trials. There, he would announce that I was a good guy and a friend of his.
Like Auburtin, Chief Starr was a powerful and dependable courthouse ally. He truly believed in equal justice.
Chief Starr attended my trials whenever he could. Through his body language and other visible courtroom gestures, the well-known father of Bart Starr made sure the jurors in my cases knew that he had a favorable opinion of me.
These actions mattered in winning my cases in the Montgomery County courthouse. They also contributed significantly to my ability to amass a 217-8 overall win-loss record in trials during my 46-year legal career.
As was the case with Mary Griffin Auburtin, Benjamin Bryan Starr asked nothing in return for his friendship. All he wanted was a level playing field for me within the walls of the Montgomery County courthouse, and Chief Starr did his best to level it. I did the rest.
Chief Starr died on April 26, 1985, at age 74. He was one of the great ones.
"Chief Starr" coached me on how to be effective and impactful inside the Montgomery County courthouse. I respected him so much.