James Joseph Patrick McShane (March 17, 1909 – December 23, 1968) was the former Chief United States Marshal during part of the Civil Rights Movement.

Marshals, he supervised federal agents during the Freedom Rides of 1961, but is most known for his role in leading the federal agents who escorted James Meredith, the first African American student at University of Mississippi in 1962.

[2] In November 1962, McShane was indicted by a Lafayette County Mississippi grand jury on charges that he "did incite a riot" in relation to his decision to fire tear gas into crowds of violent protesters during the Ole Miss riot of 1962.

The U.S. District Court found that McShane acted under orders and statutory authority and "had reasonable cause to believe ... that the use of tear gas ... was a proper measure to be taken".

Marshal, he worked for the Senate's select McClellan Committee, was chief of security and the personal bodyguard for President John F. Kennedy and a New York City Police Department homicide detective.