Walter C. Allen; Retired Judge

Walter C. Allen, 85, retired judge of both the Los Angeles Municipal and Superior courts. A native of Santa Paula, Calif., Allen earned his law degree at USC and practiced privately for three years before becoming a deputy city attorney in 1938. He served as a lieutenant commander in Navy intelligence during World War II. Allen was named to the Municipal Court bench in 1949 by Gov. Earl Warren and elevated to the Superior Court in 1957 by Gov. Goodwin J. Knight. Among Allen’s trials was a wrongful death civil case filed by the 10-year-old son of stabbing victim John Stompanato against his girlfriend, actress Lana Turner, and her daughter, Cheryl Crane. Allen retired in 1970. On Monday in St. Helena, Calif., of cancer.