Maurice 'Mo' Jourdane, California Lawyer Who Fought for Farmworkers, Dies at 83
Maurice 'Mo' Jourdane, a California attorney renowned for his advocacy for farmworkers, passed away at the age of 83. Jourdane died at his San Diego home after a two-year battle with cancer. He is best known for leading the legal effort to outlaw the short-handled hoe, a tool that caused severe back and skeletal injuries among farm laborers. His family noted that he died on Labor Day weekend, a fitting tribute to his lifelong commitment to workers' rights. Jourdane's son, Jonathan Julio Jourdane, emphasized his father's belief in taking action when witnessing harm. The attorney's fight against the short-handled hoe began in 1969 after he personally experienced the tool's debilitating effects. The United Farm Workers described the tool, often called 'el brazo del Diablo' (the devil's arm), as a cause of 'crippling back [pain] and skeletal injuries.' 
