Eunice Hunton Carter: The Black Woman Lawyer Who Took Down America’s Most Powerful Mobster
In 1935, Charles “Lucky” Luciano was at the peak of his power, leading the “Commission,” a syndicate of New York City’s five largest organized crime families. Luciano had amassed immense wealth through the Mob’s involvement in drug dealing, loan sharking, lotteries, and other illegal activities. However, his luck took a turn when he crossed paths with Eunice Hunton Carter, a trailblazing Black lawyer whose relentless pursuit of justice would ultimately bring Luciano to his knees.
Eunice Hunton Carter was born in 1899 in Atlanta, Georgia, and later moved to Brooklyn, New York, following a race riot in 1906. She came from a prominent family, with her father serving as an international secretary for the YMCA and her mother known for her activism with the YWCA and NAACP. Carter’s academic achievements were remarkable, becoming only the second woman to earn both a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Smith College within four years. She went on to become a writer, social worker, and political campaigner before marrying dentist Lisle Carter and becoming the second Black female graduate of Fordham Law School in 1932.
Carter faced challenges in establishing a private practice but found opportunities in public service. In 1935, she was appointed as the secretary of Mayor Fiorello La Guardia’s Commission on Conditions in Harlem. That same year, she was named to a team led by special prosecutor Thomas E. Dewey to combat Mob activity, where she became the only Black and female lawyer among them. Despite being at the bottom of the team’s hierarchy, Carter’s keen instincts and unwavering determination led her to uncover a pattern of police negligence in addressing specific complaints related to prostitution. Drawing on her experiences in the Women’s Courts and collaborating with fellow prosecutor Murray Gurfein, she persuaded Dewey to obtain permission to wiretap the offices of bondsmen involved in cases related to prostitution.
Carter’s meticulous collection of evidence from citizen tips and defunct organizations led to a comprehensive understanding of how the Mob had taken control of the prostitution business. This ultimately resulted in the identification of gangsters linked to Luciano through wiretaps. With Carter’s guidance, Dewey orchestrated a raid on dozens of brothels, leading to the arrest of key figures and crucial informants.
The subsequent trial, lasting from May 13 to June 7, was a media sensation. Dewey’s relentless interrogation of Luciano and the compelling testimony of several prostitutes ultimately led to Luciano’s conviction and a 30-to-50-year sentence. Although Carter was not selected to assist Dewey during the trial, her contributions were publicly acknowledged, and she was enlisted as an assistant for subsequent legal proceedings. Her pivotal role in bringing down one of America’s most powerful crime bosses solidified her legacy as a formidable force for justice.
Following the trial, Carter continued her career in public service, serving as deputy assistant district attorney under Dewey and later working with the United Nations and Black-run organizations. Her tireless efforts and unwavering commitment to justice serve as a testament to her lasting impact on the fight against organized crime. While Charles “Lucky” Luciano may be remembered as a larger-than-life figure romanticized by popular culture, Eunice Hunton Carter’s indispensable role in dismantling his criminal empire stands as a testament to her enduring legacy as a pioneering Black woman lawyer who fearlessly took on America’s most powerful mobster.