Today, we mourn the loss of Richard Samuel Paz, a longtime NPAP board member, mentor, and a beloved leader in our movement and community.
As one of the first Latino leaders of the ACLU of Southern California and a longtime leader of the national ACLU, Sam helped build the movement for police accountability and civil rights in Los Angeles and far beyond. He was a brilliant and dogged litigator whose work inspired generations of lawyers—including many who would go on to become leaders in their own right.
Those who knew Sam remember his genius, but just as often, they remember his kindness and humility. He gave his time generously, always willing to advise a lawyer taking on a police misconduct case. He helped recruit lawyers to NPAP and was instrumental in building this organization into what it is today. At one point, NPAP even had a membership drive called “Be Like Sam,” encouraging our members to follow his example: share their knowledge, help one another, and bring more lawyers into the fight.
Sam’s nomination to the federal bench was blocked after fierce opposition from police unions—a profound loss for the judiciary and for our movement. But he never stopped doing the work. He continued fighting for justice, mentoring younger lawyers, and making “good trouble.”
We are grateful for the decades Sam gave to this movement, to NPAP, and to the countless people he inspired and helped along the way. His legacy lives on in the lawyers he mentored, the cases he shaped, and the work we do together every day.
Our deepest condolences are with Sam’s family, friends, and all those who had the privilege of knowing him.
