Welcome login | signup
Language en es fr
OccupyForum

Forum Post: "Gideon’s Army": Young Public Defenders Brave Staggering Caseloads, Low Pay to Represent the Poor

Posted 11 years ago on Jan. 24, 2013, 4:55 p.m. EST by GirlFriday (17435)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement

This is going to be very good!

Check out the interview with Democracy Now.

42 Comments

42 Comments


Read the Rules
[-] 2 points by frovikleka (2563) from Island Heights, NJ 11 years ago

GF, one of my daughters is a public defender in Alaska. After having graduated magna cum laude at Fordham LC Campus, and then again near the top of her class at VT Law School where as a 3rd year student she taught writing to 1st year kids.....she refused help from her cousin's husband who is a partner in a very powerful, well-known DC law/lobbying firm which has offices throughout the country. She also refused to practice corporate law which undoubtedly she could have done, and made a lot more money in the process.

I do know that in AK, public defenders are paid substantially better than in most places in the lower '48. I also suspect that despite a big case load that she is given more time to work on her cases. On one case her client was found not guilty after she had asked for an expert witness to be called up from Washington state at a cost of $30,000 to AK.

Other than the fact that....err.. she is smarter than me, I guess the apple does not fall far from the tree,eh? And like you, in her own way recalcitrance runs through her blood too.

Still have to view your link

~Odin~

[-] 1 points by shadz66 (19985) 11 years ago

Great link re. 'Gideon's Army' doc. & ergo :

Thanx for posting and highlighting this.

fiat justitia ...

[-] 1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 11 years ago

Thanks.

[-] 3 points by shadz66 (19985) 11 years ago

"Long Distance Revolutionary" - Noam Chomsky & others :

"There is no doubt in my mind, my heart, and my soul that Mumia Abu-Jamal is an innocent man. The case was, as Bob Dylan called Hurricane Carter’s case, “a pig circus.” Read J. Patrick O’Connor’s book “The Framing of Mumia Abu-Jamal” and experience the work of a true investigative journalist."& as good a place for this link as any thread here !

Solidarity @ 'Gideon's Army' !!

fiat justitia ruat caelum !!!

[-] 1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 11 years ago

Great place as any.

[-] 2 points by shadz66 (19985) 11 years ago

By Chris Hedges - "The Unsilenced Voice of a ‘Long-Distance Revolutionary’" :

Posted here in compliment to the video above [LDR] with Chomsky, Cornel West, Alice Walker & others. I also append for attention and information the following relevant links :

From the 1st link : "US breeds a Chinese-style inmate labor scheme on its own soil. Both state and some of the biggest private companies are now enjoying the fruits of a cheap and readily available work force, with tens of millions of dollars spent by private prisons to keep their jails full."

From the 2nd : "Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo – or even Texas. The prisoners and all guards may vary, but the abuse is still too familiar. And much is it is taking place in America’s own backyard."

e tenebris, lux ...

[-] 2 points by Middleaged (5140) 11 years ago

Thanks, I want to check out your 2nd on Chinese-Style Inmate labor...

Here is one for you in return: http://occupywallst.org/forum/public-awareness-new-national-holiday-rico-violati/

6.18.1962C-7 RICO – “Racketeering Activity” Defined “Racketeering activity,” as defined by the RICO statute [federal law], includes any acts that involve or that may be charged as any of a wide range of crimes under state or federal law.

Criminal Conspiracy as Racketeering Act. In United States v. Irizarry, 341 F.3d 273, 301 (3d Cir. 2003),

Guilt of RICO Offense by Aiding and Abetting. A defendant may be guilty of a substantive RICO offense by aiding and abetting under 18 U.S.C. § 2.

[-] 2 points by shadz66 (19985) 11 years ago

"The purpose of the RICO Act was stated as 'the elimination of the infiltration of organized crime and racketeering into legitimate organizations operating in interstate commerce'" taken from your great information link & I also append :

fiat lux ...

[-] 2 points by Middleaged (5140) 11 years ago

Thanks. You saw the news on GM and Adelphi ... the rension or retirement cashed in as part of the GM Bailout ... Now here are the GM Executive Bonuses for getting a bail out for driving the company in the ground. No responsiblity. I still contend that executive bonuses are Illegal if the Comapny needed a bail out.

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20130128/AUTO0103/301280422

Checkout the law, everyone, a contract is only valid if it is Legal. How can we allow these RICO Violations ... the company loses money, they can't pay bonuses! How can anyone pull money out of their ass and say it is legal to pay bonus money. It is not a Viable Business if it loses money.

[-] 2 points by shadz66 (19985) 11 years ago

Perhaps we need Truly Independent Lawyers with some backbone ... almost like Eliot Spitzer was. Consider - 'THEY' write the laws and infect and subvert academic law departments and faculties & further to your interesting link re. AIG, I append fyi :

fiat justitia ruat caelum ...

[-] 2 points by Middleaged (5140) 11 years ago

Just to stimulate discussion, what is the difference between Elliot Spritzer giving blow jobs in the alley, and him having a prostitute turning gay tricks in his apartment, and him buying high qaulity sex senarios from some street girl in New York?

If we can't take sex liasions off the table for looking at political character .... then most US Politicians are just hiding their sex life and sexual preferences.

If everything is on the table for character in the political theater ... then who the hell would run for office... Europe does it different. Europe ignores the sex, and the sex scandals. Is this more appropriate???? Do you want your bathroom searched by MSM? Do you want your home invaded by investigators?

Lets be frank. Most investigators these days are Federal.

So, lets look at, debate, and make national referendums about sex, sexual affairs, and how that applies to politics. because US politics is all about eating the outliers. It is all about taking down people that get cuaght. It is all about invading peoples personal lives for someone else's personal, political gain.

[-] 1 points by shadz66 (19985) 11 years ago

Re. Eliot Spitzer's sexual proclivities - I have very little idea about that but your point is sound I think. 'THEY' went for him not because of where he puts his 'todger' but much more to do with :

Thanx for your comment tho' I fear we've strayed somewhat from the subject of GF's important thread !!

Ergo : "The Prison-Industrial Complex" - http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article19152.htm !

errare humanum est ...

[-] 2 points by Middleaged (5140) 11 years ago

Spitzer — who built a reputation as “the Sheriff of Wall Street” for his zealous prosecutions of corporate crime as New York’s attorney-general and then resigned as the state’s governor over revelations he had paid for prostitutes — seemed to agree with Ratigan that the bank bailout amounts to “America’s greatest theft and cover-up ever.”

Thanks looking at them now. I had forgot that Spitzer was going after Wall Street!!!

[-] 2 points by shadz66 (19985) 11 years ago

"The Criminal Injustice System ", by Ralph Nader :

Appending the above in reply to your comment 'cause it sort of applies as NO FUCKING WALL ST. CRIMINALS HAVE GONE TO JAIL ... and I want to maintain the connection with and don't want to overly subvert GF's thread - as I'm not looking for a 'beat down' from her, lol.

ne quid nimis ...

[-] 2 points by Middleaged (5140) 11 years ago

The same perverse incentives apply to the self-defeating trillion-dollar war on drugs

Good post. I pulled up GFs Link and it is also valuable. Democracy Now continues to lead in the fight for Democracy ...and is an institution.

[-] 1 points by shadz66 (19985) 11 years ago

"America’s War for Reality", by Robert Parry : http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article33632.htm and appended in keeping with this thread.

Re. http://www.democracynow.org/ - it is 'mos def' one of THE best non-MSM news sources around.

fiat lux ...

[-] 2 points by Middleaged (5140) 11 years ago

Holy Crap. I'm only half way through. Great work here by Shepherd Bliss,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men's_studies
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Men%27s_Studies_Association
AMSA is an independent organization that provides a forum for teachers, researchers, students and practitioners to exchange information and to gain support for work on men and masculinities.

I actually haven't seen this Wikipedia link on what being a man is all about.... I see a lot of links and further reading. Can we measure a man by his knowledge of morality.

I think this is important to ask. What does it mean to be a man? What does it mean to seek promotions, salary increases, more benefits ... in context of what we do to make the money? We want to protect and shelter our family .... but at what price to the community?

Who are we? What are we? Is it important how we serve the community? If we work in a job that cuts jobs from the community, state, or country... what does that mean?

I think the answer is obvious when you loook at Latin American History in Central and South America. People are used to approve job cuts, and to cut democracy from the people.

You are not just cutting jobs here in this state, or this community, you are cutting jobs in this country and ... the people that get them are not set free. The people that get your local jobs are getting crap.

There is no up side to all this discourse...

[-] 1 points by shadz66 (19985) 11 years ago

Re. Dr. Shepherd Bliss, please also consider :

Your comment deserves consideration but I disagree with your last assertion - because if I didn't, why would I be here making this reply ? ~*~

per ardua ad astra et dum spiro, spero !!

[-] 2 points by Middleaged (5140) 11 years ago

wow, Sheperd Bliss is a Role Model. Thanks. So many in OWS are probably role models. I need to learn more.

[-] 1 points by shadz66 (19985) 11 years ago

"Nature’s Capital Is The Limiting Resource", by Paul Craig Roberts :

"Economists have responsibility for earthlings’ ignorance about their environmental dependence. Economics claims that man-made capital is a substitute for nature’s capital. As nature’s capital is depleted, reproducible man-made capital will take its place. This assumption is embodied in the production function that is the basis of modern economic theory. The assumption is absurd, because it assumes that finite resources can support infinite growth. Economists should begin their education with courses in physics.".

pax et lux ...

[-] 2 points by Middleaged (5140) 11 years ago

Or a course in Humanities, John Perkins was in the Peace Corp, then joined the banks as an Economist. Exploiting Resources like Rainforests and Mining in the Amazon is unsustatinable...

Paul Roberts is right, Economist would change though if it wasn't that big money pays for economists to make a living.

[-] 2 points by shadz66 (19985) 11 years ago

John Perkins' history as an "Economic Hitman" warrants attention & PCR was in the heart of the Reagan Administration. Also I append for your consideration :

fiat lux et fiat justitia ...

[-] 1 points by Middleaged (5140) 11 years ago

[-]1 points by shadz66 (10698) 23 hours ago

"America’s War for Reality", by Robert Parry :

Yes, maybe if we can Investigate Vietnam, the Reasons for War, the True Cost of War, the nature of Guerrilla War, .... and Investigate Ronald Reagan ... see Ron Reagan in a True Light ... and Investigate the MLK Assassination to reveal the Truth ... Maybe we can repair this Government & This Congress.

[-] 2 points by shadz66 (19985) 11 years ago

To follow "America's War for Reality" and your comment, please also consider :

Consider, that the USG & Congress may be beyond repair without breaking The Current Corporate Captured Crap of The Republocrat / Demoblican, Dark Duopoly. The Solution ? Democracy !

ad iudicium ...

[Removed]

[Removed]

[-] 0 points by Misaki (893) 11 years ago

Better to give the poor jobs so they can afford to hire lawyers... or even go to law school.

But not if it involves rich people being underemployed right

[-] 1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 11 years ago

imeanletsuseeveryopportunitytoadvocateforunderemploymentwheneverpossibleright

Don't waste my time.

[-] 0 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 11 years ago

Nice compound wordsentence. Do not waste time or space. I thought "mistaken" had left - oh well - this too shall pass.

[-] 2 points by GirlFriday (17435) 11 years ago

Yeah, well, hopefully, this too shall pass out.

[-] -1 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 11 years ago

That would be more preferable than to be like passing a stone {:-]) ahhaha missed you today - so quiet without you.

[-] 2 points by GirlFriday (17435) 11 years ago

I've heard that is really dang painful. Ha!

I missed ya back. My hours are all crazy for a minute.

[-] 0 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 11 years ago

Yep can be killer - so lets go with the pass-out option.

As long as you return - gives me that unpredictable bright spot to look forward to.

[-] 1 points by Misaki (893) 11 years ago

We haven't re-invented the wheel lately.

[-] 2 points by GirlFriday (17435) 11 years ago

It would explain why you are missing a few spokes.

[-] 1 points by Misaki (893) 11 years ago

??? If you were trying to make a joke, I don't see the logical connection.

[-] 1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 11 years ago

Sure you do.

[-] 1 points by Misaki (893) 11 years ago

Nope. I mentioned the wheel as something that we don't expect the phrase "this, too, shall pass" to apply to.

Now you're saying that I'm a wheel. What?

[-] 1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 11 years ago

I'm saying that you aren't well wrapped...

a little frayed at the edges.

A few cards shy of a full deck.

[-] 1 points by Misaki (893) 11 years ago

I haven't heard of all those expressions before. You lose 5 cool points. Sorry

[-] 1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 11 years ago

Thanks for bumping my post! :D

[-] 1 points by Misaki (893) 11 years ago
[-] 0 points by owsarmy (271) 11 years ago

An often ignored issue that is a damaging element of the effort to deny justice to the 99%. Glad to bump this great post. Perplexed at the ignoring of the issue by the forum.

[-] -1 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 11 years ago

The ills of society are many and flood the judicial system - failure of justice is huge - failure of justice is growing as the ills of society progress.

Funny thing - the ills of society are many - but root causes are few = Greed.