Judge Napoleon A. Jones, Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California died on Saturday at the age of 69. Jones, who was battling prostate cancer, took medical leave in September. When Jones was appointed in 1994 by President Clinton, he was only the second black judge to serve on the federal bench in San Diego. One of Jones’ most noteworthy rulings was in a 2003 case involving the Boy Scouts of America. Jones ruled that San Diego’s lease of land to the Scouts, which he deemed a religious institution, was an unconstitutional violation of the separation of church and state. Lawyers who were interviewed for the Almanac of the Federal Judiciary made the following comments about Jones: "He is a very good judge." "He is a real gentleman. He treats the lawyers with respect." "He is middle-of-the-road. He will do the right thing." "He is pretty liberal, but he does a good job of balancing things." "He gives you a fair trial. He always acts in good faith."