Posted on 02/08/2017 9:56:37 PM PST by Timpanagos1
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards was sued Monday over his state's public defender system, which plaintiffs say violates the U.S. and Louisiana Constitutions by denying effective representation to poor people accused of crimes.
The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court describes defendants kept in jail for months before seeing a lawyer, public defenders who are so overworked they cannot provide adequate counsel and multiple instances in which people accused of minor crimes did not receive an attorney at all.
(Excerpt) Read more at npr.org ...
Yeah, because Louisiana, New Orleans in particular, is just swimming in money.
Maybe poor people suffer from poverty of intelligence and seriously cannot afford free services....
Maybe don’t commit crimes, then?
“Maybe don’t commit crimes, then”
Some may not have committed the crimes.
“Maybe poor people suffer from poverty of intelligence and seriously cannot afford free services....”
There are two types of people that are charged with crimes, first are the dumbest people you will ever meet and then there are the smartest people you will ever meet.
By far, the scariest are the smart ones.
Maybe they didn’t.
“Yeah, because Louisiana, New Orleans in particular, is just swimming in money.”
They may not be swilling in money, but they do need to abide by the 6th Amendment and Gideon.
If true, it sounds bad. However, how many of these criminals were charged with local crimes? We’re the cities and parishes responsible for providing counsel, and not the state? I have no idea how that’s all organized under Napoleonic law.
That may be a large part of the problem: Napoleonic Law. Don’t they have to be schooled in that and pass the bar in that to practice? There might be slim pickings, lawyers I mean.
Sound like one of those people that thinks everyone that is charged with a crime is guilty and they can rot in prison, never mind that the cops and DA got it wrong.
May it never happen to you. Because it’s happened to me, and others. It’s hell, and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.
Few places in the world are short on lawyers. :) it’s probably because public defenders are paid so little.
There are lawyers and then there are “lawyers”
Congressman Hank (Guam is going to tip over) Johnson, is a lawyer.
I talked to a former prosecutor and he gave two tidbits of information concerning the “free” lawyer provided by government. They lose a huge percentage of the cases, and, they have several incentives to settle instead of fight for their client. His advice was, if you’re facing some serious time, mortgage your house; hire a real lawyer.
Yep, you did.
Even if you don’t commit crimes you can wind up in jail or prison. It happens every. single. day.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.