Defense attorney brought athletic energy to court
Steven Rocket Rosen spent most of his professional life in a courthouse, but he often started his day on a basketball court.
Every day at 6 a.m., the famed Houston-area defense attorney and former Fort Bend County prosecutor was up and moving, either shooting hoops or, earlier in life, running his four daughters through sprint drills, his family says.
When he wasn’t preparing for a trial, he could be found on the golf course. He also held a reputation as a skilled softball and flag football player. That highenergy, relentless attitude extended to the courtroom, where he fought for his clients in numerous high-profile cases that thrust him into the spotlight.
Rosen, 63, died Tuesday at his Richmond home after a twoyear battle with ALS. He is survived by his daughters, two grandchildren and wife of 37 years, Robin.
“He lived the life of a 120-yearold man,” said his daughter Courtney Covach, 32, who now works as a felony prosecutor in the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office. “He died young at 63, but I think he just lived life to the fullest.”
Rosen, known simply as Rocket, was born on the Fourth of July in 1955 in Miami Beach, Florida. He attended the University of Florida and later moved to Houston to attend the South Texas College of Law. He never left the Bayou City.
After graduation, Rosen started at the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office and worked his way up to felony prosecutor. He formed his own practice in 1985, kicking off his distinguished criminal defense career.
Rosen is most known for representing two Branch Davidians who were among those charged with killing two federal agents during the 1993 standoff at the group’s Waco-area compound. His clients, Kevin Whitecliff and Livingstone Fagan, were originally charged with first-degree murder, but Rosen got the charges reduced to manslaughter.
Both Whitecliff and Fagan were sentenced to 15 years in prison and have since been released. Dan Cogdell, a longtime Houston defense attorney who represented other defendants in the case, said Rosen’s tactics differed from the other lawyers involved.
“Most of us believed what the government did was outrageous — and so did Rocket — but his focus wasn’t so much on the outrageousness but the decency of his client,” Cogdell said.
Among other widely publicized cases, Rosen also represented Madelyne Toogood, who in 2002 was caught on a surveillance camera apparently striking her child repeatedly in a parking lot in South Bend, Ind. Newscasts nightly aired clips of Toogood allegedly beating the 4year-old girl in the back of an SUV.
Despite the negative publicity and Toogood’s association with a nomadic group linked to fraudulent home repair, her charges were reduced to a misdemeanor. She admitted the mistake in court in lieu of jail time and enrolled in anger management classes.
Rosen personally connected with each of his clients, often keeping in touch after a case ended, said longtime friend and fellow defense attorney Paul Nugent. He also didn’t let fees stand between him and a client who needed defending, Nugent said. He was willing to work pro bono.
Rosen was especially skilled in jury trials, said Nugent. He was a storyteller who could move jurors to tears when appropriate.
“He had a magic about him,” Nugent said. “He didn’t go to a seminar to learn about how to connect with juries. He just related to people.”
He added, “I can’t think of another lawyer who has more twoword verdicts in Harris County.”
Despite his busy schedule, Rosen still found time to serve as his daughters’ trainer and biggest supporter. He never missed their sporting events, Covach said. He also coached their softball team, Missouri City Magic.
All of his daughters went on to play sports at Division 1 colleges. The two oldest, Covach and Jorden Maljovec, became attorneys. Portland Rosen is now a professional golfer, and Darby Rosen is a member of the Israeli National Softball Team.
“He always wanted us to be the best,” Covach said.
Before ALS left him nearly immobilized, Rosen was an impressive athlete in his own right. He played baseball his freshman year at the University of Florida and later opted for a role as quarterback for his fraternity. Since then, he’s been inducted into the National Flag Football Hall of Fame and the Texas Amateur Athlete Hall of Fame.
“He was like the Tom Brady of flag football,” said his son-in-law John Covach, who shared a practice with Rosen. “You always wanted Rocket on your team.”
Funeral services have been set for 11 a.m. Friday at Congregation Beth El, located at 3900 Wallenberg Lane in Missouri City. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked people to contribute to the Rocket Rosen Scholarship fund. Donations can be mailed to 214 Morton St. in Richmond.