{{short description|American politician}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2023}} {{Use American English|date=May 2023}} {{Infobox officeholder | image = | image_size = | name = Julius Helfand | birth_date = December 11, 1902 | birth_place = Brooklyn | death_date = August 17, 1987 (aged 84) | death_place = West Palm Beach, Florida | resting_place = | website = | occupation = Jurist | party = Democratic | spouse = | alma_mater = New York University School of Law | title = Chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission | term_start = 1955 | term_end = 1959 | predecessor = Robert K. Christenberry | successor = Melvin Krulewitch | state_house2 = New York | district2 = 6th Kings | term_start2 = 1935 | term_end2 = 1935 | predecessor2 = Samson Inselbuch | successor2 = Robert J. Crews }} '''Julius Helfand''' (December 11, 1902 – August 17, 1987) was an American politician and attorney who served as the assistant Brooklyn District Attorney in charge of organized crime prosecutions, chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission, and a New York state court judge.
==Early life== Helfand was born on December 11, 1902, in Brooklyn and attended Boys High School.<ref name="Graveyard" /><ref name="Chairman" /> He graduated from the New York University School of Law in 1923 and was admitted to the bar in 1924.<ref name="Chairman" />
==New York State Assembly== In 1934, Helfand was elected to the New York State Assembly by 15 votes.<ref>{{cite news |title=Orders Scanning of Helfand's Vote |work=The New York Times |date=January 4, 1935}}</ref> He sponsored an amendment to the New York State tax law which prohibited educational institutions from denying admission to qualified applicants because of race, color, or creed.<ref name="Graveyard">{{cite web |title=Heisbrandt to Hellyer |url=https://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/heisel-hellyer.html#203.17.87 |website=PoliticalGraveyard.com |publisher=Lawrence Kestenbaum |access-date=January 16, 2022}}</ref> He was defeated in 1935 by Republican Robert J. Crews.<ref>{{cite news |author=Hagerty, James A. |title=Decisive Gains in State |work=The New York Times |date=November 6, 1935}}</ref>
==Assistant District Attorney== In 1937, Helfand became a deputy assistant Brooklyn District Attorney. He was promoted to assistant district attorney in 1940 and was made the chief of the homicide division in 1946.<ref name="Chairman" /><ref name="Long" /> In 1949 he became District Attorney Miles F. McDonald's chief organized crime prosecutor.<ref name="Long" /> In 1951 Helfand led the prosecution of Harry Gross, a bookmaker whose $20 million a year operation was protected by members of the New York Police Department and city government.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Conklin |first1=William R. |title=Top Police Linked to Gross Pay-Off as Trial Resumes |work=The New York Times |date=September 28, 1951}}</ref> Gross was convicted and sentenced to 12 years in prison.<ref>{{cite news |title=Gross Loses Plea to Cut Sentences |work=The New York Times |date=January 22, 1953}}</ref> The investigation also led to the conviction of 10 police officers and the resignation of New York City Police Commissioner William O'Brien.<ref name="Obituary" /> Helfand also led an investigation into conditions on Brooklyn's waterfront, which led to convictions for payroll padding, usury, kickbacks, and theft of union funds.<ref name="Long">{{cite news |title=2 Long in Politics to Run With Mayor |work=The New York Times |date=July 22, 1953}}</ref>
==1953 election== In 1953, Helfand ran for President of the New York City Council on the ticket of Mayor Vincent R. Impellitteri. Impellitteri, Helfand, and the third member of their ticket, Comptroller were challenged for the Democratic nomination by the Tammany Hall-backed ticket led by Robert F. Wagner Jr.<ref>{{cite news |title=Keegan, Helfand on Mayor's Slate; Wagner is in Race |work=The New York Times |date=July 22, 1953}}</ref> Wagner's ticket was victorious, with Abe Stark defeating Helfand to 62% to 38% in the Democratic primary.<ref>{{cite news |author=Hagerty, James A. |title=Wagner Wins Primary Vote; Margin Over Impellitteri May Run as High as 155,000 |work=The New York Times |date=September 16, 1953}}</ref>
==New York State Athletic Commission== In 1955, Helfand was appointed chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission by Governor W. Averell Harriman.<ref name="Chairman">{{cite news |author=Conklin, William R. |title=Helfand Named Chairman Of the State Athletic Board |work=The New York Times |date=January 1, 1955}}</ref> He spent much of his first year in office investigating the Boxing Guild of New York, a boxing manager's guild. On December 12, 1955, Helfand outlawed the guild, accusing it of conspiring to blackballing fighters who were not in the good graces of its members, having monopolistic power over television contracts, associating with underworld figure Frankie Carbo, and requiring out-of-state managers to pay the guild to work in the state. He and fellow commissioner Robert K. Christenberry gave the members until January 16, 1956, to quit the guild or have their license suspended or revoked.<ref>{{cite news |author=Briordy, William J. |title=Helfand Moves to Abolish Boxing Managers' Guild |work=The New York Times |date=December 13, 1955}}</ref> On January 5, 1956, the Guild's members voted unanimously to ignore Helfand's order and not disband.<ref>{{cite news |author=Nichols, Joseph C. |title=New York Boxing Managers Vote to Ignore Helfand's Order to Quit Guild |work=The New York Times |date=January 6, 1956}}</ref> On January 7, the Guild was dealt a major blow when Al Weill, manager of world heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano, resigned.<ref>{{cite news |author=Nichols, Joseph C. |title=Marciano's Pilot Resigns, Dooming Local Ring Guild |work=The New York Times |date=January 8, 1956}}</ref> By Helfand's January 16 deadline, 59 of the 74 managers had resigned from the guild.<ref>{{cite news |author=Nichols, Joseph C. |title=Helfarid Gels 59 Resignations From Membership of 75 in Boxing Guild Here |work=The New York Times |date=January 17, 1956}}</ref> Willie Gilzenberg and Tex Sullivan, who ran ''Boxing from St. Nicholas Arena'', announced they would move their operations to the Baltimore Coliseum in response to Helfand's order. Maryland Governor Theodore McKeldin sided with Helfand and persuaded his state athletic commission to ban Gilzenberg and Sullivan.<ref>{{cite news |author=Nichols, Joseph C. |title=Norris Assures Helfand of Cooperation and Continuation of Boxing Here |work=The New York Times |date=January 7, 1956}}</ref> On February 26, 1956, the commission voted to revoke Gilzenberg and Sullivan's licenses.<ref>{{cite news |author=Nichols, Joseph C. |title=Sullivan, Gilzenberg and Club Promoting Bouts at St. Nicks Lose Licenses |work=The New York Times |date=February 27, 1956}}</ref> In 1956, the commission passed a rule requiring managers to submit itemized expense accounts to the board after every fight.<ref>{{cite news |title=Helfand Seeking Pilots' Accounts |work=The New York Times |date=March 10, 1956}}</ref> Later that year the commission indefinitely banned former lightweight world champion Paddy DeMarco from fighting in New York for having a person with a criminal record as a manager.<ref>{{cite news |title=NY Bans Paddy DeMarco |work=The Boston Daily Globe |date=September 20, 1956}}</ref> In 1959, Harriman's successor Nelson Rockefeller appointed Melvin Krulewitch to succeed Helfand as chairman.<ref>{{cite news |title=General Appointed Helfand Successor |work=The Boston Daily Globe |date=January 7, 1959}}</ref> Helfand remained on the commission until his term expired in 1960.<ref name="Obituary" />
==Judicial career== In 1961, Helfand was made a magistrate of the Brooklyn Felony Court. In 1963 he was promoted to acting justice of the New York Supreme Court. In 1967 he presided over one of the trials of George Whitmore Jr.<ref name="Obituary" /> He retired from the bench on January 31, 1972. Upon announcing his retirement, Helfand called for the legalization of gambling, the return of capital punishment, and the distribution of free narcotics.<ref>{{cite news |author=Kaplan, Morris |title=Judge Helfand, Retiring, Asks Legalized Gambling |work=The New York Times |date=November 9, 1971}}</ref>
==Later life== Helfand retired to West Palm Beach, Florida, where he died on August 17, 1987, at the age of 83.<ref name="Obituary">{{cite news |last1=Smothers |first1=Ronald |title=Julius Helfand Is Dead at 84; Led New York Boxing Inquiry |work=The New York Times |date=August 18, 1987}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}} {{s-start}} {{s-par|us-ny-hs}} {{succession box | before = Samson Inselbuch | title = New York State Assembly <br>Kings County, 6th District | years = 1935 | after = Robert J. Crews}} {{s-end}}
{{New York State Athletic Commission Chairs}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Helfand, Julius}} Category:1902 births Category:1987 deaths Category:American prosecutors Category:Boys High School (Brooklyn) alumni Category:Lawyers from Brooklyn Category:Democratic Party members of the New York State Assembly Category:New York state athletic commissioners Category:New York Supreme Court justices Category:New York University School of Law alumni Category:Politicians from West Palm Beach, Florida Category:Politicians from Brooklyn Category:20th-century members of the New York State Legislature