Morio L. Fukuto, 77; judge sat on state Court of Appeal

Morio L. Fukuto, a justice of the state’s 2nd District Court of Appeal who was a judge on various benches in California for 25 years until his retirement in 1999, has died. He was 77.

A longtime resident of Torrance, Fukuto died at his home Nov. 15 of complications from Parkinson’s disease, according to the court’s public information office in San Francisco.

In a statement released by the court, Administrative Presiding Justice Roger Boren called Fukuto “my most trusted consultant.”

“He sought to bring the justices together on difficult cases and was often the one to find the right solution to a legal or administrative problem,” Boren said, noting that Fukuto was a “very kind and sensitive person.”

A native of Los Angeles, Fukuto graduated from UCLA in 1951 and earned his law degree from UC Berkeley’s School of Law in 1954. He was admitted to the state bar in 1955.

After serving as an intelligence officer in the Army, he joined the L.A. district attorney’s office, serving from 1957 to 1974, including a stint as head of the Central District’s trial division.

In 1974, Gov. Ronald Reagan appointed Fukuto to the Los Angeles Municipal Court, covering the South Bay.

Five years later, Gov. Jerry Brown appointed him to the Superior Court of Los Angeles County.

In 1986, Fukuto was nominated to the 2nd District Court of Appeal by Gov. George Deukmejian to succeed Justice Edwin Beach. Approved by the voters, he took office Jan. 5, 1987, and served until his retirement Feb. 19, 1999.

His noteworthy cases as a justice included his opinion in the 1993 decision in Long Beach Lesbian & Gay Pride vs. City of Long Beach.

That ruling found the city’s parade permit ordinance unconstitutional because it gave the city manager unfettered discretion to issue or deny permits.

Fukuto was thrust into the public spotlight in 1994, when his son David killed two Palos Verdes Estates police officers after bursting into a motivational seminar the officers were attending at the Holiday Inn in Torrance. David Fukuto, 32, died of head injuries and asphyxia while struggling with officers trying to subdue him.

A devastated Morio Fukuto issued a statement of regret after the incident, saying:

“David committed a terrible and unforgivable crime in taking the lives of two fine police officers without reason. We cannot explain his acts. We can only extend our deepest condolences to the officers’ families and to the members of the Palos Verdes Estates Police Department. Our prayers are with them.”

Fukuto’s survivors include his wife of 51 years, Grace; a daughter, Donna; a son, Steven; six grandchildren; and a sister.

Services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 961 South Mariposa Ave., Los Angeles.

Instead of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made to St. Mary’s Episcopal Church or the National Parkinson’s Foundation.

--

jon.thurber@latimes.com