Joe H. Tonahill (1914–2001) was an American lawyer.
Biography Tonahill was born in Hughes Springs, Texas. He was a graduate of the University of Texas and George Washington University. He married Violett Smith, daughter of congressman Howard W. Smith in 1941.
During his career, he worked on Jack Ruby and Melvin Belli's cases. He was the co-founder of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and the Texas Trial Lawyers Association. He was also a wrestler.
Posthumously, he was inducted to the Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame in 2018. Joe Tonahill Award is named after him.https://www.justice.org/membership/awards
References
Further reading Temple-Raston, Dina (2003). A Death in Texas: A Story of Race, Murder and a Small Town's Struggle for Redemption