Sinas Dramis Law Firm Mourns the Loss of Former Partner Kenneth “Red” G. McIntyre

We, at Sinas Dramis Law Firm, were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of our former partner, exemplary attorney, and good friend, Kenneth “Red” G. McIntyre. Red passed away on August 1, 2025, at the age of 87 (obituary).

Red joined the Sinas Dramis Law Firm in 1969, after an extraordinary career dedicated to protecting civil rights and injured individuals. He practiced law at Sinas Dramis for 30 years, forming a professional bond with his fellow lawyers that was built on mutual respect and shared values.

Protecting Civil Rights

Before joining Sinas Dramis Law Firm, headquartered in Lansing, Michigan, Red served as a trial attorney in the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice in Washington, DC, during the pivotal and turbulent 1960s. In that role, he fought tirelessly to protect civil rights, focusing primarily on voting rights and desegregation cases in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama.

Among the notable cases he worked on was a high-profile case involving the horrific, racially motivated murder of three civil rights workers in Philadelphia, Mississippi, in 1964. He later reflected that the experience brought him face-to-face with the brutal and cruel reality of race hatred and profoundly impacted him personally.

In 1965, Red was assigned to help maintain peace during the historic Selma-to-Montgomery march. Not only did he serve in that important role, he also walked all 50 miles alongside the marchers—a powerful testament to his personal commitment to justice and equality.

“I have never personally worked with a lawyer who felt more passionately about the fundamental injustice that results from racial prejudice and discrimination than Red McIntyre. His feelings in that regard ran deep and were at the core of his essence,” said George Sinas, Partner at Sinas Dramis.

Protecting Against Police Misconduct

After his work in the Civil Rights Division, Red returned to Michigan to serve as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Michigan’s Eastern District, based in Detroit. There, he handled the Algiers Motel case—one of the most publicized cases following the 1967 Detroit race riots. The case involved the deaths of three Black teenagers at the hands of police officers and a private security officer. Though none of the accused were convicted, Red’s role in seeking accountability was emblematic of his lifelong pursuit of justice.

Protecting Against Unrest

Shortly after joining Sinas Dramis, the President’s Commission on Campus Unrest, under the direction of President Richard Nixon, asked Red to co-direct its investigation of the 1970 shootings of four Kent State University students. With support of the Sinas Dramis firm, Red took a leave of absence to lead the painstaking fact-gathering process that eventually resulted in the Commission’s final report.

Protecting Against Negligence

Upon returning to full-time practice at Sinas Dramis, Red took on one of Michigan’s largest environmental and public health cases—the 1973 Michigan PBB contamination crisis. In the early days of that case, Red led the fight to hold accountable the chemical company that caused the disaster when it shipped a toxic fire-retardant chemical rather than the feed supplement that was ordered. The poisonous chemical was then mistakenly mixed into livestock feed, causing harm to the livestock, farms, and property throughout Michigan.

Leaving a Legacy

Red stepped back from active practice in 1999, but he never truly retired. He remained a passionate defender of justice, a wise mentor, and, above all, someone who “gave a damn.”

“Red’s death is, indeed, sad. However, what is even sadder is that today there are not more lawyers like Red McIntrye, who are willing to professionally dedicate themselves to fighting for the victims of bigotry, hate, and oppression. This nation would surely be a better place if there were,” said George Sinas.