Changes

Shortly before his death, Cawthorn had been the defense attorney in Bossier Parish for the former rodeo star Jack Favor (1911-1988), who was falsely accused and convicted in 1967 of the 1964 murders of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Richey, operators of a bait stand near Haughton. After a seven-year period of incarceration at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in West Feliciana Parish, Favor was exonerated in a second trial in 1974. After Cawthorn's death, the co-counsel, James B. Wells of [[Bossier City]], who believed in Favor's innocence, continued to represent his client. The exoneration of Favor required a lawsuit against the then warden at Angola, C. Murray Henderson, Jr. (c. 1920-2004)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leagle.com/decision/1972771348FSupp423_1712|title=Jack G. Favor v. C. Murray Henderson, Jr., Warden, Louisiana State Penitentiary|date=May 16, 1972|publisher=leagle.com|accessdate=June 16, 2020}}</ref> and a request before a federal judge to grant a second trial on the premise that the trial court judge, [[O. E. Price]], along with Bossier Parish Sheriff [[Willie Waggonner]], the chief deputy and successor as sheriff, Vol Dooley, and District Attorney Louis Harvey Padgett, Jr. (1913-1980), had illegally conspired to rig the trial to convict Favor despite knowledge of his innocence.<ref>"List of Louisiana Wrongful Convictions Overturned since 1966, ''The Baton Rouge Advocate,'' November 23, 2003.</ref>​

Shortly before his death, Cawthorn had been the defense attorney in Bossier Parish for the former rodeo star Jack Favor (1911-1988), who was falsely accused and convicted in 1967 of the 1964 murders of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Richey, operators of a bait stand near Haughton. After a seven-year period of incarceration at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in West Feliciana Parish, Favor was exonerated in a second trial in 1974. After Cawthorn's death, the co-counsel, James B. Wells of [[Bossier City]], who believed in Favor's innocence, continued to represent his client. The exoneration of Favor required a lawsuit against the then warden at Angola, C. Murray Henderson, Jr. (c. 1920-2004)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leagle.com/decision/1972771348FSupp423_1712|title=Jack G. Favor v. C. Murray Henderson, Jr., Warden, Louisiana State Penitentiary|date=May 16, 1972|publisher=leagle.com|accessdate=June 16, 2020}}</ref> and a request before a federal judge to grant a second trial on the premise that the trial court judge, [[O. E. Price]], along with Bossier Parish Sheriff [[Willie Waggonner]], the chief deputy and successor as sheriff, Vol Dooley, and District Attorney Louis Harvey Padgett, Jr. (1913-1980), had illegally conspired to rig the trial to convict Favor despite knowledge of his innocence.<ref>"List of Louisiana Wrongful Convictions Overturned since 1966, ''The Baton Rouge Advocate,'' November 23, 2003.</ref>​

Cawthorn died on [[Veterans Day]] 1967 of a sudden illness in Memorial Hospital in [[Lake Charles]], where he was stricken while on business. A week before his passing, Cawthorn had been defeated in a Democratic primary for a seat in the Louisiana House of Representatives for DeSoto, Sabine,  and Red River parishes in a two-member district by incumbent [[Joe Henry Cooper]] of Mansfield and subsequent Judge John Samuel Pickett, Jr. (1920-2014), of Many in Sabine Parish.<ref name=obit/> Though defeated for the legislature, he had won in the same election a seat on the Louisiana Democratic Executive Committee for the 38th representative district.<ref name=obit/>​

Cawthorn died on [[Veterans Day]] 1967 of a sudden illness in Memorial Hospital in [[Lake Charles]], where he was stricken while on business. A week before his passing, Cawthorn had been defeated in a Democratic primary for a seat in the Louisiana House of Representatives for DeSoto, Sabine,  and Red River parishes in a two-member district by incumbent [[Joe Henry Cooper]] of Mansfield and subsequent Judge [[John S. Pickett, Jr.]], of Many in Sabine Parish.<ref name=obit/> Though defeated for the legislature, he had won in the same election a seat on the Louisiana Democratic Executive Committee for the 38th representative district.<ref name=obit/>​

Cawthorn and his wife, Merle Sloan Cawthorn (1919-1998), had a daughter, Melody Merle Cawthon (born c. 1954). He is interred at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in DeSoto Parish alongside his brothers, W. B. Cawthorn (1900-1963) and Fred Cawthorn (1908-1940).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/32169316/joe-t_-cawthorn|title=Joe T. Cawthorn|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=June 16, 2020}}</ref>

Cawthorn and his wife, Merle Sloan Cawthorn (1919-1998), had a daughter, Melody Merle Cawthon (born c. 1954). He is interred at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in DeSoto Parish alongside his brothers, W. B. Cawthorn (1900-1963) and Fred Cawthorn (1908-1940).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/32169316/joe-t_-cawthorn|title=Joe T. Cawthorn|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=June 16, 2020}}</ref>