Maury Nicely
“Hoffa in Tennessee: The Chattanooga Trial that Brought Down an Icon,” a book by McCallie alumnus Maury Nicely ’89, is the story of the criminal trial that resulted in the downfall of Teamsters leader Jimmy Hoffa.
Mr. Nicely used his skills as both a Chattanooga attorney and historian to tell a story of the trial that gripped Chattanooga in 1964. The trial resulted in a guilty verdict and eight-year sentence for Hoffa for jury tampering and effectively ended his stronghold on one of the nation’s top labor unions.
The book was published by the University of Tennessee press and recounts details of the trial. Says Mr. Nicely, "It really set into motion the process that would ultimately lead to Hoffa’s assassination a decade later."
Coincidentally, the release of the book comes at the same time as the popular Netflix movie "The Irishman," also about the Teamsters boss. Mr. Nicely joked that he is "still waiting for my call from Martin Scorsese!"
Mr. Nicely is also working on another book, this one detailing Union officer John Wilder and his role in creating the new South following the Civil War. Wilder was most notable for being in charge of the cannonade that shelled Chattanooga in 1863. Eight years later, he was elected mayor of Chattanooga.