For thirty years, Roger A. Pearce Jr. was a prosperous lawyer in the Northwest, working for well-known individuals and corporations in Oregon and Washington.
In his spare time, he served on planning committees and nonprofit organizations. He worked as a pro bono lawyer for many hours. He belonged to a happy couple and was well-liked in the community.
The name Roger Pearce was, by all accounts, a byword for respect and achievement. With one exception, though:
In reality, Roger Pearce wasn’t Roger Pearce.
Who is Roger Pearce in real life? Why did a well-known attorney pretend to be someone else for fifty years? And how did the truth eventually surface?
Maxine Bernstein, who covers federal court, crime, and law enforcement for The Oregonian/OregonLive, tells the compelling tale of how a well-known lawyer took the name of a dead baby and how his ploy was eventually discovered on the most recent edition of Beat Check.
Relevant reading:
A well-known lawyer from the Northwest built a successful career in the name of Dead Baby.
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–The Oregonian/OregonLive employs Joe Freeman as a senior writer. You can reach him at @BlazerFreeman or 503-294-5183.
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