James A. (Strazz)Strazzella, GRL’64, a former assistant professor of law at University of Pennsylvania, died on January 28. He was 77.

Professor Strazzella grew up in Hanover, Pennsylvania. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Villanova University and a law degree from Penn. After law school, he clerked for Justice Samuel J. Roberts of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and was an Assistant US Attorney in Washington, DC. 

In 1970, he joined the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania as an assistant professor of law. He served as vice dean at Penn Law School before leaving Penn Law in 1973. He was appointed to the first faculty chair at Penn Law.

In 1970, Professor Strazzella was named chief counsel to the Presidential Commission’s investigation of the Kent State shootings. He also served on a statewide task force on how law enforcement could improve its response to violence against children, elders and spouses. He also chaired the Pennsylvania Supreme Court criminal rules committee under five Chief Justices.

He left to teach at Temple Law, where he was recognized with the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching in 1983 and the George Williams Award for Outstanding Professor in 2010. 

He served as head of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s criminal law section and head of the Federal Bar Association’s criminal law committee. He also chaired the Federal District Court magistrate judges’ appointment committee and the mayor’s public safety transition task force and was a member of the American Law Institute.

He is survived by his wife, Jean; brother, Henry; daughters, Jill Dixon (James) and Tracy A. Grazianio (Jerold); sons, Steven (Christina) and Michael (Kara); grandchildren, Sonoma, Sawyer, Slone, Mia, Mason, Sophie, Allie, Meri and Anna; and former wife Judy (Cappolla).

Professor Strazzella directed that there be no service and that the funeral be private. Donations in his memory may be made to the Smith Memorial Playground, Fireman’s Hall Museum Philadelphia or to Temple Law Faculty Scholarship.