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: Grits for Breakfast

Proposed Harris County study will likely predict substantial savings from a public defender office

By Gritsforbreakfast

Considering how much money Harris County spends on its criminal justice system, I'm surprised their commissioners court appears to have barely ever considered the idea of a public defender office, which state Sen. Rodney Ellis has been pushing recently."The only thing I know about the public defenders system is what I see on Law and Order," Harris County Judge Ed Emmett told the Houston Chronicle last week ("Commissioners may okay study of public defender," April 5), anticipating the commissioners court's approval tomorrow of a study on creating a new public defender office. "I will maintain an open mind, for sure" At least that's encouraging.Demonstrating a further lack of knowledge were Commissioner Steve Radack's comments: "Radack said he is convinced that defendants in Harris County receive fair representation from court-appointed lawyers and will look at only whether a public defender system would save money...continue to full post

Full post as published by Grits for Breakfast on April 07, 2008 (boomark / email).