I don’t know how I missed this post, and I hope I won’t annoy anyone by covering what some might consider “old ground.” It is indeed a great lie when the state gives lip service to the saying “justice for all” mantra but does everything it can to stack the deck against poor and indigent defendants by assigning public defenders who are so bogged down by crushing caseloads that they often don’t have time to go over the facts of each case.

From what I have seen, the state isn’t about to do anything to change the way the “criminal justice” system operates by hiring more public defenders. From their POV, their job is to obtain convictions, not seek justice.

So what can the average citizen do? The way I see it, each person who can should read as much about the criminal justice system and the law as possible. Your books, like WIN YOUR CASE and THE SMOKING GUN, are excellent ones to start with. There’s another book called THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE HANDBOOK, written by two attorneys, that I think every person should have, as it provides valuable information on what to do in case they are accused of a crime. It is certainly not a substitute for legal counsel, and the authors make that very clear. But it will give a person knowledge they need until they can get a lawyer who can give good legal advice. In addition to that, there’s also a very good TV program on the TNT channel called RAISING THE BAR, created by David Feige, who was a public defender in the South Bronx area of New York City.

Until things change for the better, I believe the only thing that will help the average citizen is knowledge of law and the system, which is available from books, the internet, and other media channels.

Just two years ago my husband and I had a very comfortable lifestyle. We were accused of “disturbing the peace”, which was ridiculous, but we were able to find an amazing lawyer…one who actually had defended two judges in a case a few months before…All charges were dismissed after they realized who our lawyer was…the accuser didn’t even want to go to court, as they knew we would win.

Two years have passed, and we are now living off 401K savings and wondering how we will pay for basic necesities…Astronomical medical bills due to a child with autism…and I now know that if this ever happened again, we could not afford a lawyer…and things would be very different.

It is a sad day in America when people cannot see this injustice…when people who are not in that situation do not care about those who are…I have heard the comments of well-off friends…”why do you care about them, you can afford a lawyer…why do you care, you have a job, etc…” Little do they know that our rights are being taken away and that when we least expect it, we could be “them…”

If that wasn’t enough, while the public defender, my mother and I were standing in the hallway, this all ways causing lawsuits arresting officer comes up to me and says, “I should arrest you for eye fucking my witnesses!!” , I told him that should he do that, I would sue him in personal and professional capacity!, the officer then asked where a certain witness was, the same witness for the prosecution that was overhearing our private conversations between my attorney and I, my just pointed between myself and the attorney and said, “He’s over there!, the officer then hit my 71 year old mother in the mouth and brought his hand back to hit her again, I slammed his head into the wall and five officers jumped on me. There were alot of witnesses on my side that were denied to testify at trial and I was told no matter how many times it took, I was to be found guilty my attorney told me.

Was found guilty on the first charge, did my time, the 18 months later was called back in court by same judge and sentenced again and handcuffed on the very same case. The judge even wanted me to come into his chambers prior to sentencing without a attorney present.

The second charge of “assault on a officer”, I did a year and they still tried to resentence me on the same violation after I had done my time and probation period.

anyway, i could on and on about how much injustice I’ve been thru, but I just had to tell you that these public defenders are truly “officers of the court” and for the courts anyway they can get it done for the courts.

Would like help concerning fighting these cases if you should wish to show a concern.

Sincerely Yours,
Richard Dyson
253-332-8186

Gerry

Linda Shelton wrote an interesting suggestive piece in her comment to your article as well as has others.

There is no question our justice system needs a complete overhaul, as does much of the rest of American way of doing business.

Are we really the great nation we claim to be, or is it all a big lie? As a nation, it seems we have a bigger ego than we do a true performance level.

Keep up your great writing, Gerry. You raise eloquent conversation topics.

Cliff