David McGruder Obituary

David Neal McGruder, Esq. knew as a Palms Middle School student in Los Angeles that he was destined to be an attorney. His siblings and friends say that since then, all of his activities aligned with that goal.

David was the third child born to Bedford Neal McGruder and the late Deanna Powell McGruder in Santa Monica, California on Thursday, January 28, 1971. His older sisters, Jessica and Laura, say their names immediately became one, “JessicaLauraDavid.” His father said David “started talking late and then never stopped.” He loved sports and attended Magic Johnson’s basketball camp as a child, becoming a lifelong Los Angeles Lakers fan. He played youth basketball at the YMCA, with his team ascending to the championship played at The Forum in Inglewood, California. Also, in 1989, he was a beau in the Angel City Chapter of The Links Beautillion. As part of that program, David portrayed Malcolm X in an event where he debated a friend acting as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This solidified David’s reputation as an expert at debating, originating phrases and regaling his audience with stories.

A 1989 graduate of University High School, David traveled to the nation’s capital to study political science at Howard University. While in D.C., he became the second employee of the youth program at the community food bank, Martha’s Table, an endeavor which combined his budding community activism with his long-held desire to speak up for those who often don’t have a voice. The youth program, which had just begun, is now a massive education program. During his time at Howard, David also interned on Capitol Hill for Rep. Julian Dixon (D-CA), former chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, and he interned at Cassidy & Associates, a lobbying firm.

After receiving his undergraduate degree in 1993, David earned his juris doctorate at the University of Southern California, where he was president of the Black Law Students Association. He then became a prosecutor at the Bronx District Attorney’s Office where he won the office’s Community Service Award. It was there that fellow prosecutor, now federal immigration judge, Oshea Spencer, introduced him to her new friend from church and another Howard University alum, Depelsha Thomas, who would later become his wife. David left the prosecutor’s office in 2001 and worked at the Manhattan labor law firm of Koehler & Isaacs for five years.

After a beautiful proposal in Negril, Jamaica, David and Depelsha wed on April 24, 2004 in her hometown of Atlanta, Georgia. They then moved to Brooklyn, where they purchased a brownstone in the Bedford Stuyvesant neighborhood that would become their family home. Soon after, David hung out his shingle in 2006 and opened The Law Offices of David McGruder, Esq., where he concentrated in criminal defense and employment law for 14 years.

On August 13, 2008, David and Depelsha welcomed their first son, Garrett Thomas McGruder. Three years later, on November 2, 2011, they welcomed Grant Powell McGruder to the family.

David won acquittals for several very high-profile cases and was a distinguished member of the First Department 18B Felony Panel. He was often called to appear as a legal expert on several television networks, including CourtTV and MSNBC, where he spoke about top trials throughout the nation, including the Michael Jackson and Harvey Weinstein trials.

In the case of the People v. Brown, David filed a speedy trial motion. The motion, which was denied by the trial judge, was appealed all the way up to the state of New York’s highest court. In 2016, the Court of Appeals agreed with David’s motion, reversing the trial judge’s decision. This case, that started with David’s speedy trial motion, is now considered precedent setting as defense attorneys cite it when litigating speedy trial issues.

Outside of work and family, David was a staunch supporter of his alma mater and from 2013 to 2015 served as National Fundraising Chair of the Howard University Alumni Association. In 2011, he won the Distinguished Alumni Award from the Howard University Alumni Club of New York. In his spare time, he also enjoyed writing fiction and script treatments for potential television shows and films.

David was preceded in death by his mother, Deanna Powell McGruder. He leaves to cherish his memory his devoted wife, Depelsha, his sons, Garrett and Grant; his father, Bedford Neal McGruder: his sisters, Jessica McGruder and Laura McGruder Wynne (Peter); his mother-in-law, Charlotte Thomas; his father-in-law, Edgar Thomas, Jr.; his uncle, Jack McGruder; a host of cousins, including one who was like a brother, Mark

McGruder; Nephews, Ryan and Nicholas Wynne, Julian Lozada, Camden Scruggs and Ryder Gaymon; Nieces, Morgan McGruder, Alexandra Van Veen and Kinsley Scruggs; and a legion of friends too numerous to mention that span elementary school, youth sports, middle school, high school, college, law school, adult recreational basketball leagues, parent associations and organizations and his distinguished professional career. David was a connector of people and was often described as “the ambassador.” He will be missed by many.

Dave McGruder was a proud 1993 graduate of Howard University. From 2013 to 2015, he served as national fundraising chair for the Howard University Alumni Association. You may use the button donate to an endowed scholarship in Dave’s name.

1. Select the donation amount
2. Click the box under “Tribute Gift.”
3. In the box that says “Leave a comment (optional)” write “David McGruder.”
4. Under “Designation” choose “other” and type in “HUAA.”
Thank you for your support and prayers for the McGruder family!

DAVID NEAL McGRUDER, ESQ

David N. McGruder

SUNRISE
JANUARY 28, 1971

SUNSET
DECEMBER 25, 2020

1

David N. McGruder Scholarship Fund

The David McGruder Scholarship for Service and Justice is awarded to students enrolled at Howard University who display a high degree of integrity, moral character and a demonstrated commitment to community service and ensuring equity and justice for all.

David McGruder, a native of Los Angeles, CA, was a 1993 graduate of Howard University (B.A., Political Science) who pursued a career in law and always fought for justice for his clients. He often represented young people of color who were wrongly accused of crimes or in the wrong place at the wrong time. He also represented many union workers and laborers to ensure they received fair treatment in the workplace. In addition, David performed community service his entire life, including serving as the second employee in the youth program at Martha’s Table in Washington, DC when he was a student at Howard, volunteering for a mental health non-profit organization, organizing mock trial programs for young people to learn about the criminal justice system, serving on the board of The One City Youth Project, a community-based afterschool program in Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, and serving as a founding board member of Moms of Black Boys United, Inc. In addition, he served as National Fundraising Chair for the Howard University Alumni Association from 2013-2015. David received the Community Service Award from his former employer, the Bronx District Attorney’s office and a Distinguished Alumni Award from the Howard Alumni Club of New York.

David’s parents, Bedford Neal McGruder (B.A., Electrical Engineering ‘62) and Deanna Powell McGruder (B.A., Biology ‘62) met and fell in love on the campus of Howard University. The David McGruder Scholarship for Service and Justice was started by David’s wife, Depelsha Thomas McGruder ( B.A., Broadcast Journalism ‘94) after David passed away at the age of 49.

Dave McGruder was a proud 1993 graduate of Howard University. From 2013 to 2015, he served as national fundraising chair for the Howard University Alumni Association. You may use the button donate to an endowed scholarship in Dave’s name.

1. Select the donation amount
2. Click the box under “Tribute Gift.”
3. In the box that says “Leave a comment (optional)” write “David McGruder.”
4. Under “Designation” choose “other” and type in “HUAA.”
Thank you for your support and prayers for the McGruder family!

TRIBUTES FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDS

My family lived across the street from the McGruders, and we were very close friends. I knew David since he was born; as he, at two, trotted about as his mother, Deanna, and I spent hours sharing, I took them camping to Hume Lake in CA. David spent time with my son, Danny, 7 years older, playing Dungeons and Dragons. I recall David, about 4, standing at the dirt car path at a mountain camp, being reminded to look both ways before crossing. David just turned his head automatically in both directions without looking in any direction. By all means, he was doing what mother instructed! David thought of Danny as the cat's meow, following him as much as he was able.

David was always a beautiful, gentle child, expressing himself briefly and quietly. I was very close to his two older sisters. The family is warm, loving, and brilliant, and I wish they were back here in Los Angeles. Margaret Yukiko Zumwinkle

Here's another - the three pics attached
Two of my favorite memories:
- I came up to NYC my freshman year at Howard for a friend’s bday. Garrett was 6 months in the attached photo. My friend Kanyin and I got lost on the subway so Dave drove all the way into the city to pick us up. He gave us a tour of Brooklyn including showing us the park where they filmed Brown Sugar. We went to eat and Kanyin and I loved hearing Dave and Depelsha’s HU stories. 💙❤️
- Dave came to speak at the charter school I worked at in Harlem for Career Day. The kids loved hearing about his role as an attorney in Harlem. His office was walking distance from the school.

Cousin Dave always made sure I had a place to go for family time, a home cooked meal and HU memories. He told the best stories, made me laugh and kept me up-to-date with how everyone in our family was doing. I loved my cousin dearly.
With love,
Rene Christina

4 responses to “”

  1. Depelsha, I never had the pleasure of meeting you, and only reconnected with David a couple of years ago. He and I met while working for Congressman Julian Dixon many, many years ago in D.C. There’s nothing I can say about your husband and the father of your boys that you don’t already know, but as someone who is not in your circle of family and friends, and someone who had not seen David in so many years, I wanted to let you know how I (and surely many others) always viewed him. David was one of the brightest, most generous, and genuine people I ever encountered. His laugh was infectious, his sense of humor was expansive, and his smile could disarm even the “sourest” of people. Over the years I thought about David often because he and I always talked about becoming lawyers, and he ultimately became the type of lawyer I didn’t have the courage to become. And that’s the beauty of David. He was courageous like no other. He never wavered in his convictions. And his senses of right and wrong were unrelenting. David said what he meant, and meant what he said. I never ever had to guess what David was talking about during our many, many discussions about social, political, and economic issues because he spoke with such clarity, conciseness, and eloquence. David was audacious in his intelligence and benevolent in his gestures. He is one of a kind. Knowing that he was on this earth always made me feel so comfortable and confident because if someone was lucky enough to have David by their side, I knew he would comfort them, guide them, educate them, and most importantly, protect them. I will miss him. God Bless to you and your family.

  2. Happy birthday David McGruder I still think that was cool when you purchased matching Easter dresses for Depelsha and her mom.

    I love my fashion and it looked like you did as well. You always brought Depelsha the best dresses from the style and color. I loved the brown dress for your anniversary date.

    Yes, everyone will talk about how smart and talented you are but you also had an eye for fashion. Rest easy Brother Dave.. Rest easy…