I am sadden to note that Frank Dunham, a man of exceptional talent, compassion and dedication to public service, has gone on to argue before a higher court. From The Washington Post (may require registration):

Frank W. Dunham Jr., 64, who fought for Zacarias Moussaoui and other well-known terrorism suspects as the first federal public defender in Alexandria, died Nov. 3 of brain cancer at his Alexandria home.

A longtime Northern Virginia lawyer and former prosecutor, Mr. Dunham created the public defender's office virtually by himself in 2001. One of his first clients was Moussaoui, the only person charged in a U.S. courtroom in connection with the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

In the aftermath of Sept. 11, Mr. Dunham zealously battled the government on behalf of an al-Qaeda member who despised his own attorneys. Moussaoui eventually pleaded guilty, but only after Mr. Dunham and his team tied the case up in the courts for several years.

Edward B. MacMahon Jr., one of Mr. Dunham's co-counsels, said, "His work on the Moussaoui case was outstanding" but was overshadowed by what he did for "enemy combatant" Yaser Esam Hamdi.

Mr. Dunham personally argued before the U.S. Supreme Court the case of Hamdi, a U.S. citizen held as a combatant by the military. That produced an important decision that upheld the government's power to detain Hamdi but said he could challenge that detention in U.S. courts. Hamdi was released and flown to Saudi Arabia.. . .

In addition to his wife, of Alexandria, and his son, of Richmond, survivors include another son, Frank III "Chip" Dunham of Rockville; a brother; and a grandson.

He will be long missed.