Former Whitewater special prosecutor Kenneth Starr has died at the age of 76. He was being treated for an illness in Houston and passed away at Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center following complications from surgery.
Starr was the Solicitor General during the administration of President George H.W. Bush and argued dozens of cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. He was named as the independent counsel to oversee the Whitewater investigation that led to the impeachment of then-President Bill Clinton in the U.S. House of Representatives. The House voted to impeach Clinton on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice, but he was acquitted in the Senate and finished his second term in office.
Starr joined Baylor University as President in 2010 and was named as the school's Chancellor in 2013.
"Judge Starr had a profound impact on Baylor University," said current Baylor University President Dr. Linda Livingstone. "Baylor University and the Baylor Family express our deepest sympathies to Alice Starr and her family, and our prayers remain with them as they mourn the loss of a husband, father and grandfather."
During his time at Baylor, the school built a new stadium for the Baylor Bears football team, McLane Stadium, and a new home for the Hankamer School of Business. The university also set enrollment records and had a minority enrollment of 34 percent.
Starr left Baylor in 2016. He faced criticism over the way the school handled sexual assault allegations, especially allegations against members of the Baylor Bears football team.
After leaving Baylor, Starr was Of Counsel to the Lanier Law Firm, which has offices in Houston, Los Angeles and New York.
"He was one of our key 'brains' in our Issues and Appeals section, "said firm owner Mark Lanier. He met Starr in 1984 at a moot court competition, and says Starr served as a replacement for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor when she was unable to judge the final round of the competition.
"Ken was one of the most kind, gentle and humble people I have ever known," Lanier said. "He was so zealous in his work and his advocacy that people assumed that zeal was a burning ardor in his life. Under the law, we're required to zealously represent a client, and he did that."
Lanier knew Starr before the Whitewater investigation and after, and said his role in that process did take a toll on him.
"It was really tough for him, because he took seriously his obligation to do that. If the person being prosecuted and investigated is the President of the United States, or the ex-President of the United States, it doesn't matter. Nobody is above the law," he said.
Lanier said Starr handled the investigation well despite the enormous pressure on him at the time.
"He never played the media card on it. I think his silence with the media caused a lot of trouble...because it allowed the media to be spun against him and against the process, and I think that hurt him some," he said. "He bore no one any ill will, he merely tried to do his job as best he could with all that entailed - and was willing to pay the price."
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