SAN ANTONIO - Back in 2005, when he was defending fellow San Antonio attorney Alan Brown in a federal tax-fraud case, Michael McCrum asked doctors to induce the birth of his child over the weekend so he could be back in court on Monday.

"He wanted to be home for the birth of his child, and he didn't want to miss the trial," said Brown's wife, attorney Jean Brown.

That story, recounted by the Browns in an interview Saturday, reflects the work ethic and determination that attorneys say McCrum, 57, brings as a lawyer. They describe him as a thorough attorney who can weave deep legal research and witness testimony into powerful courtroom arguments, and as someone who successfully transitioned from federal prosecutor to defense attorney.

"He's got a lot of resolve," said Alan Brown, who was found not guilty by jurors in less than 90 minutes following 29 days of testimony in the tax-fraud case - a major victory for McCrum.

And now, as the special prosecutor leading the criminal probe into Gov. Rick Perry, the South San Antonio High School graduate and former police officer is having to navigate a politically fraught process drawing national media attention.

Perry's indictment Friday on two felony charges immediately drew claims from Republicans that it was a partisan abuse of the court system meant to undermine Perry, a potential 2016 presidential candidate. Perry echoed those sentiments himself Saturday.

McCrum has rejected the accusations. He noted Friday in announcing the indictment that he had interviewed over 40 people and reviewed extensive case law as part of the grand jury process.

"I looked at the law, I looked at the facts and I presented everything possible to the grand jury," he told reporters.

No playing politics

People who know McCrum said he is not the type to use a case to play politics. San Antonio defense attorney Patrick Hancock said McCrum is known for spelling out just the facts in court, while Alan Brown said McCrum does not care for politics and tries to steer clear of courthouse politics.

Brian Wice, who is representing former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Sugar Land, in his appeal of money-laundering and conspiracy charges, looked askance at the indictment. But he simultaneously spoke highly of McCrum, saying he had "the utmost respect" for him.

McCrum, a former assistant U.S. attorney, was considered the frontrunner for a presidential appointment to be the U.S. attorney in the San Antonio-based Western District of Texas, which includes Austin, Waco and El Paso. But he withdrew his name from consideration in October 2010 after more than a year of waiting to be officially nominated by the White House, saying he had to get on with his career.

"I have not been able to take any cases for the past six to nine months, and as a result my practice has dwindled to almost nothing," he told the Express-News.

At the time, he had the support of the state's Democratic congressional delegation and both Republican senators, in addition to many local attorneys.

"I heard he was a hands-on kind of guy, kick the tires and get down in the weeds," former Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenn MacTaggart told the Express-News when McCrum was being considered. "He pushed the proper due diligence in order to investigate and determine whether an indictment was justified."

Work as police officer

McCrum grew up on the city's South Side, avoiding the gangs that he has said operated just a block away from his house. After finishing high school, he went to Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University), graduating in 1978 with a degree in criminal justice.

For most of the next four years, he worked as a police officer, first in Arlington and then in Dallas. He returned to San Antonio for law school at St. Mary's University, graduating in 1985.

One of McCrum's first jobs as an attorney was at the firm then known at Davis & Cedillo. Ricardo Cedillo described McCrum as "one of the best associates" he had ever hired, echoing others' comments about McCrum's thoroughness and analytical skills.

"He had street smarts as well as legal knowledge," Cedillo said while McCrum was under consideration for the U.S. attorney position. "That's a very rare combination in young lawyers. That goes to who he is and where he's from."

McCrum's clients as a defense attorney have included former NFL star-turned-drug trafficker Sam Hurd; Dr. Calvin Day, who is awaiting a new trial after McCrum successfully lobbied to have his jury conviction for sexual assault of a patient thrown out; fellow lawyer Mikal Watts, a Democratic Party stalwart who has hosted President Barack Obama at his home; and Mark Gudanowski, the former driver for District Attorney Susan Reed accused - and acquitted - of illegally selling Southwest Airlines vouchers.

His own run-in

Earlier this year, McCrum faced some legal trouble of his own. The district attorney's office alleged he told a key witness in an intoxication manslaughter trial to "get lost for a while" to avoid testifying, accusations that could have resulted in jail time for McCrum.

McCrum denied the allegations, and in February, the 4th Court of Appeals ruled that the state missed a deadline to file the contempt claim against McCrum. The Bexar County District Attorney's Office said then it had plans to appeal.

Outside the courtroom, McCrum is known for his dedication to his wife and five children, and to his church, attorneys who know him said.

But when it is time for a trial, they said they expect him to have worked tirelessly in his preparations. As Hancock put it, McCrum will "fight like a crocodile on behalf of his client."

Staff Writers Guillermo Contreras and Peggy Fikac contributed to this report.