India, Nov. 14 -- One of the leading figures of American journalism, Jim Avila, has died aged 70. The former longtime senior correspondent of ABC News was also a veteran of investigative journalism, the outlet's website reported.

"He (Avila) won the prestigious Merriman Award from the White House Correspondents Association for breaking the news that the United States and Cuba had reopened diplomatic relations," the website says.

Jim Avila was also the senior law and justice correspondent and covered many famous trials, from Jerry Sandusky to O.J. Simpson and others. He also widely reported on immigration and also covered the death of Freddie Gray and civil unrest in Baltimore, the official biography of the veteran journalist on the ABC ...