Longtime Twin Cities defense attorney Joe Friedberg has died. He had been battling cancer and reportedly passed away Monday afternoon.
Along with being a prominent attorney, Friedberg was frequently heard and seen on Twin Cities media commenting on some of the biggest legal issues in the state. He was a frequent guest on WCCO Radio with both Chad Hartman, and Friedberg's longtime friend Dark Star who died in 2012.
Colorful and outspoken, Friedberg began practicing law over 60 years ago and represented hundreds of clients, including several high profile cases.
Friedberg represented Viking running back Mo Williams during the infamous "love boat" scandal, a raunchy team boat party that tarnished the Vikings' season. Williams was eventually found guilty of disorderly conduct but not guilty of two other misdemeanor charges in the incident.
He also represented Viking Randy Moss after a traffic officer stepped in front of his car to stop him from making an illegal turn. He was accused of bumping her with his car, and she was slightly injured when she fell off it.
Born in Brooklyn in 1937, Friedberg spent most of his youth on Long Island and attended law school at North Carolina prior to coming to the Twin Cities in the 1960s.
Friedberg was a huge horse racing fan and owned dozens of horses and was frequently spotted at Canterbury Park enjoying the races.