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Fairness at Stake

By Tennessee Coalition to Abolish State Killing

The Tennessee study committee met for two days this week and heard a variety of testimony from local and national witnesses on the state of the death penalty in Tennessee. A few highlights:Libby Sykes, from the Administrative Office of the Courts which oversees the Indigent Defense Fund in TN, testified that since 2000, the funding for indigent defense in this state has continued to decline and is currently $1,000,000 less than it was in 2000.The last increase in the hourly wage for attorneys defending indigent clients was made in 1997. Currently the rates are $60-80 per hour for out of court work and $100 for in court work (not even enough to cover overhead expenses). Compare that rate to the billing rate for law associates only 5 years out of law school working for private firms, whose average hourly rate is $210...continue to full post

Full post as published by tcask:: on the road (to abolition) on December 07, 2007 (boomark / email).