The father of singer-actor Harry Connick Jr. has died in Louisiana, according to the Associated Press.
Harry Connick Sr. passed away peacefully in his New Orleans home Thursday, the AP reported, although his cause of death was not disclosed. He was surrounded by his wife, Londa and two children, daughter Suzanna and his famous son Harry .
Connick Sr. was the New Orleans District Attorney for three decades, winning his first election in 1973 and unseating incumbent prosecutor Jim Garrison . He stayed as the city’s D.A. for many years, getting reelected four times by developing biracial support among the city’s politically powerful African American base.
After his retirement in 2003, Connick Sr. faced harsh criticism for allegedly hiding evidence that could have tipped the scales in favor of several defendants, who later had their convictions overturned.
In one case, John Thompson was exonerated for a murder he did not commit after 14 years on Louisiana’s Death Row.