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UCLA alumnus Johnnie Cochran autographs a book at an October 21, 2002 book signing at UCLA. Cochr

Many UCLA community members are mourning the death of Johnnie Cochran, a 1959 UCLA graduate who became famous for successfully defending O.J. Simpson against murder charges, and who was remembered by minority communities for his philanthropy, civil rights activism and defense of many poor clients.

Memorial services held from Monday through today in Los Angeles honored Cochran’s life, following his death on March 29 of an inoperable brain tumor. He was 67.

Cochran supported UCLA throughout his life. His contributions included the Johnnie L. Cochran Sr. Scholarship in his father’s name and donations to the law school, the Tom Bradley International Hall and the Arthur Ashe Student Health and Wellness Center.

Winston Doby, a UCLA graduate and former vice president of student affairs at the university, said Cochran was a personal role model for him. Doby, who now works in educational outreach for the University of California Office of the President and whose career at UCLA spans about 40 years, knew Cochran since he was a child and became close friends with him when he pledged the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity.

Cochran graduated before Doby began attending UCLA, but while attending at Loyola Law School, he frequently studied at UCLA and remained supportive of his alma mater and his fraternity, Doby said.

“Johnnie is evidence of the level of achievement that so many African American alumni (of) UCLA have attained at UCLA,” he said. “The legacy he leaves is a legacy of greatness and achievement, and that’s what UCLA really stands for. It stands for greatness and achievement in all aspects.”

Doby said those who knew Cochran through his public persona may not have known his personal side.

“Johnnie was a genuine human being, a caring human being with strong, strong personal values and beliefs that he clearly acquired through his upbringing in a very strong family,” he said.

Cochran was respected in the black community for his loyalty and perseverance and was a “pillar of the community,” serving as a personal mentor for many individuals, Doby said.

“He was always someone I could call no matter what the issue was,” he said. “That’s the kind of friendship I think he exemplified to a whole lot of people.”

Alex Tucker, Special Projects and Development Coordinator for the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies, was friends with Cochran’s daughter, a UCLA alumna, and said Cochran’s family had strong ties to UCLA. Cochran’s father and most of his family attended the university.

“It was a great loss to the UCLA community as well as to individuals in the Southland everywhere. His influence was by far everywhere,” Tucker said, referring to Cochran’s influence both in and beyond Los Angeles.

Cochran was given the 2003 Thurgood Marshall Award by the university, an honorary lecture and dinner named for the first black Supreme Court justice, whom Cochran admired.

“He was very interested in students having the opportunity to hear his comments on civil rights and human rights, especially how he was influenced by Thurgood Marshall,” Tucker said, adding that Cochran always had time for a kind word and to impart wisdom to younger individuals.

While at UCLA, Cochran was active in the UCLA fraternity Kappa Alpha Psi, and his membership extended past his undergraduate career. He continued to be active in fraternity events nationally and with current members of the UCLA chapter.

Rodney Diggs, a fifth-year sociology student and “polemark” or president of the Upsilon chapter, said Cochran was a role model for himself and others in Diggs’ fraternity.

“It’s sad when one of the role models you look up to, (dies) at such an early age. He’s done a lot for our community,” he said, and mentioned that Cochran had attended many fraternity alumni events and had spoken to the UCLA chapter several times.

Kappa members attended several memorial services for Cochran on Monday and Tuesday. Cochran’s death has “taken a toll” on fraternity members, Diggs said.

Diggs described Cochran as the “essence of a Kappa man,” following the fraternity’s motto of “achieving in every human endeavor,” and Diggs said he looked to Cochran as a role model and hopes to attend law school.

“To be in half of his footsteps would make me very proud,” he said.

Throughout his career, Cochran secured the release of Elmer Pratt, the former Black Panther, who spent 29 years in jail when accused of murder. He also won substantial lawsuits for victims such as Haitian immigrant Abner Louima, who was sexually assaulted at a New York police station, and Reginald Denny, a white truck driver beaten by a mob during the L.A. riots of 1992.

Cochran also won the largest lawsuit in the Los Angeles School District, awarding damages to 18 black girls sexually molested by a teacher who was hired by the district after being convicted of pedophilia.

In recent years, he defended such rap artists as Tupac Shakur, Snoop Doggy Dogg and Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs.