It's about time. This important editorial from the Times-Picayune praises that decision, points out that funding indigent defense is not the same as being soft on crime and basically says: Pony up the cash
Thursday
Demanding Defenders
In a ruling issued Friday, the Louisiana Supreme Court said the Legislature is responsible for 'providing a working system for securing the representation of indigent defendants.' And the high court ruled that judges may block the prosecution of poor defendants until money to hire lawyers is available."
It's about time. This important editorial from the Times-Picayune praises that decision, points out that funding indigent defense is not the same as being soft on crime and basically says: Pony up the cash
It's about time. This important editorial from the Times-Picayune praises that decision, points out that funding indigent defense is not the same as being soft on crime and basically says: Pony up the cash
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my controversial book about a day in my life as Public Defender in the South Bronx is finally available for Kindle and Ipad.
2 comments:
It's unbelievable that certain states still have no funding for public defenders. Louisiana, Virginia jump to mind. What's even worse is the reluctance that each of their legislatures exhibits at providing said funding. It will take courts to step in and rectify the situation. How can they not see the equal protection violation? That's what happened here in CT years ago and it has worked.
True enough, though for whatever it's worth, Virginia is making some really impressive progress in indigent defense and in eyewitness ID stuff. The head of the Virginia Indigent Defense Commission is a great guy and really moving things along brilliantly.
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