D2? 12,1, 2^^^^ 4AN 0 3 ZO 14 - : CLERK AF CAURT V1 ,/ SURREME Upurt of Qwto AFFIDAVIT

^^ fxF

rY^/

^ r,> { . •, ^ /•' J ai ,, c%^°^/f ^` i f2 ^H . .. /O'.f/ . •- iJ . • ...-. .. . :.

...... "^ : ^1/! . ff^' 1`^j/+-^ ......

...... ^^...... ^.^ ...... ^Z" ^%z'

; ...... ^ ...... , Jr%%//%/%Nf Javfrff. /!//f ///I! if/^!////!//f/1fI/%l ...... 1ft'^'o".. . Y /1,f. ^ 5. y,^A• .:

$ £ ...... ^ _ _ _ . - _ ^r• .r. 3 1 -^, ^

014

d 7 ,^ r ^ss' s 3r ^' ^< ^^r s^ ^#if i^^1tr f3s ^, _ r .... _. . . . # r r ^ ,/o f r r /,f j >; r 1 y r ^ / _^ . .^- ...... ^Y!^.^'^^:^.^r' .^` •^^^„y'--r'^/.. } . ... / ...

_..___. .. ___. _._ ...... _.._._. .__ _-_ __. ._...... _. _...... -_...-.._...... _...... __ _.. ,._ .. .. .`

_ _ . ______- _ _ .. _ _ _ ^C^.^î:,^r ii GIC- 3 -(^pÛff^ C./c^'.. .i^,:^%L-^ . _.c,-L<' a/^"î...... __ -.7 .._ .._ _...... _ _ .:i

.___.. -_. '^ ' • . . E d2? 12,1, 2^^^^ 4AN 0 3 ZO 14 - :_ CLERK AF CAURT V1 ,/ SURREME UpURT OF QWtO AFFIDAVIT

State of Ohio ) ss; County of&k^^.,) ''K. e;^ a&z^

swear that the following is true:

2. ,.^ L( ^/ ^/^^. ^t.'Q

^ ^ ,^ ar•''^ NA1ViL ANI] NU. ER

DEFENDANT-APPL;LLANT, PRO SE

Sworn to and subscribed in my presence this ^ day of

Ozi LA- NTA Y PUBLIC JfiruNtFER M. p7YO In and for the State Of O^® ^hhlic MY CQmmissaon Expdras MaY 21,201,3 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF 01-1I0

STATE OF OHIO,

Plaintiff Appellee,

vs. : Case No.

^ ^91' Defendant-Appel laiit.

AFFIDAVIT OF 1NDIGENCY

do hereby state that I am without the necessary

funds to pay the costs of this action for the following reasons:

I am currently incarcerat d at the and I have been ^ incarcerated since,&/S. I work at the prison but receive only &;(f^ dollars per month.

Pursuant to Rule 15.3 of the Rules of Practice of the Supreme Court of Ohio, I am

requesting that the filing fee and security deposit, if applicable, be waived.

AFFIAIvT

Sworn to, or affirmed, and subscribed in my presence this day of ^^A&

20 /^^

JENNIFER M. OTTO, Notary Public _,^„K In and for the State of Ohio Notary ubl My Commission Expires May 21, 2018 My Co unission Expires: +f c;; ^ ^C) I

tNote: This affidavit niust be executed not nioi•e than six months prio Court in order to coniply with fi.Ct. Prac. R. 15.3. Affidavits not in compliance with that by the Clerh,l IR AN. 0 3 Z014: CLERK OF COURT SUPREME COURT OF OHIO _ c'i;^',!1r^'^^i<^i ,.^ ^" ,•^?^G ^,-.^^ <^^ ^? _ ^''iY^^^-,E^.^'l^^,G=

--- _

-^'-c.. L^^;^,^'G^ fi.^ <„-^3.rC-^" ,^-.^ -

__ ^^-

f!L

ieLI%L

, .^, .

.^z^'^'3U 3 61;al 4? ^^ ,^ ^^ `r . ^!^?^^^G? 3^^

•'^-^ ..^/.-',s^C'Jl r .!% ; ^^^1G^ G^ ^.^^y^^^!G^`, ^^i^^l^ '^t^G^^`^^^^ G^^Pi!^?c7C'_ 3

..._._.. . _... ._ .. . _ .. . __ . _. ..(Y/ .___. _. _ .

' ^^^ ^^C.!^'^^L^ ^Z-G'^__^^ -^r^ ^-^ ^` _ 3^:".^%,L^^`cC^.^°^Q.^:^. _ _ _ , ,. . F

,^ . .f ^ ^W ey

ae^ 1-^i^ C.z, lsll

_ _ _ {^^-^'C. ^[".-^C^' _v^^^^^ ,r^L^ '^ e^a.^-^^^k^'l^ C.S^-^.^`3^--^;"G^ < _ _ _ . _ _ _

^ 3.^. `^^

41- . . ,, , CP'"c.a4^ ,, . /'6^^ ` .,

. ^^ JL^loi ; . && 9,% q t,, ^ I -C^" e,- - ^

...... V ^4.""^V . ^ ^ J ^... C3G'^-^ "^ .. ^^^^I '" /`6b . .:..K.^"^^ ^^^ ^^ C..*^/^/CwG-^d.LK-:^......

...... y^.^C^ + . . .. .4 ...... ^':

^ ! ^ ^^i^^^ 3 ^ , . .^G^! ... ^^"^^'GL^':^^ . e:;^(^^^. .!^

^:^ _^.^^^^^%^^` ^:^^^ C,•^ ^ ^^l ^^ ^^^ zez ^`v^`^'^ 3^^^,Z^^ ^

3^^-^^-a-,^^-^^ ^^^^^^Y o

-el'^ , . .^.&Ile

,. ^

6- ^__ _ . . , :^

6z''.^^-^^

izel ^

- ^ _ k2r^-^ .^e117^^^'^ _

^^^^^^^_ ^,^^^ ^^^°^^3 ^ _ ^ ^^^^^.^

L1 64^^=, tl" ^^

1 oleg-lu v5

^ 112^

,- . . , ._^_ .

^ _. .

zz_w'^^^^^^-.^^`^

: ._

Fk I^y

^^^ ^^^Z^^^^ ^^' _ ^Ge^^i'"^•^`"^c,;^ ^?^%^

&64^C^^^^ ^...^^^ . ,

^^^1^

,tk:?^^^^ _

^- --- -'-^ 4

.^^

62 . , ^ .

M ^.

. ^^ 6y

...... _...... ^' ^^^^ ..YC.,<^^^^23 i^`^aN" `^4`"l^r°^ ._^^ .S\.s^ ..^ //'"'. "',"".: 9P"4L:R^3 ^ S`Y K.. . _ . ., .^ . . _ _. . _.. ..._ _.. _ _..._ ... . _.. _. .. .._ _...... __ _...

.^ ^`^ .. .. . ~ ......

^^^^^^ ^^^^^3 ^ ^^ ^'^^^^ ^.^ ^'^^_^^'{.e

dcl ^ ^22^61 -- , - 2d'

, M. 3 . _ ...... ^.`.^d^^ Z.F. GSc^^^^ILJ^ ^^(^4i '

d/ - d1ace4a, L2klt^C^^:^r;^`^?

A :,^' . - .. .. ,

,^r7^^^^^^ ..

C'^e16& 1 au,

^°1 ^^: _ . f $^^^ ^.2 n^ ^^^ ^ ^ ^^G^^'/C-Z3't?^^'

3 - ^ ,. . ;. _

_ _ _ ; ^^^^^ .^i^^^I^,^_ c%1L-'L^^^3^'^' ^^ J^1^ ______.

. ^ _ , ^- : ..

zy a

^ r1. .y

^^4 yow-^, //,^z 4^v d^, ..."oooa .

Cl^ ^3 m^

...... ^, ...... ^b ...... , ...... w , . ... c ^^i ^- ^^^ %L/G^^_ G..%^L . ^^^! _L^^^. ^w^?r^^''" ^^%3. _.

°^ ^•^.%^r"^^^?^^^,^^ ^.^^1^^ _C^Ee^` /.^' c^c^^ ^^G^c^^i^c._ II^'-^ Z

,.^L-tr^l^ G.-'^G'•C^^ ^.^"r^ /i,^ y ^^^^^'..^'c^e^^.:^GC^ ,:,^'^'C-L ^^^^^^^1.""^ _ _ 1^1^

^/^^6

zG^.^^'G^L .^ ,.. .,^ ^ ^ ^ '^ '-^^^.^'^^!..^'3,Z!^' ^ .`^^'^^

... Z^

...... ^^'^C...^''^^^""`""-.'.-^,G ^ô%'F.".^/î'"-,-C._1t^•C,^.% G^^ C-rC".-^^^.i^/."% L .î,sL'^^C^--.c,.',G!. . . .

. G, ...... , ^y' . ": / .• 4 ......

,. ^. , y.

^^- L^^^^^<

/ _.

c-•. G^C 3 «.G G.^t;- C ?^LL! ^Cf^% :^ ^^G.G^.ts1^s

... ._ .._.. _. ._.__._ . . _ . ._ . . .

f l..v -.^i^

-^'!'!^ ------...... ------....------...------..------_----....------...... ------...------

" - ^

. ^e^rC2

^ . . ^71. 6zs gg,5:

a° .',1 i 7r f^ t^~ ......

^^ 3'^^^li!.I^ ^ ^^'^^ ^c ^'^^^ ^^Jr ^^ ^ a J;

^ _^.

• G/ _ .^

_ _ ^. ^^^^• ^^,/'^^^"^,^^^^^ , ._. ^^^'^'"^^^^^^ __

.._ _ ^,^. ^G'^^^e.• . ^1 ._ ^ ^^^`. !^^^=^^;^=`^^^. ..y^ ^'.,^ ^ .

_ C2z eo

` . <

I ^ / ( e^^^^^/^ e!j^a^^^^C^ ^^3 !

/? /' 9 •zl / ^ '^ 9 ^

^^ ^`" . ..^ ^^^ ^ ^'3^2 ; /,^ ,^^^ fj/^ 7 ^^,., / ^,^ ^/

cf-°15 ,. _ ^ ,.

An) 0-^ ,Y

^: ^ ^ ^^^-^^ ^^3 ^,^ ^.^^ _ _ __

x .z zc.> j/Lzat- ^

...... _ . . •L 3L.,.C..'^.: - ^ i i

.. , . Z'/Z,. ^ . _ ^-^ ". 2P _ ^^zw&_^ 6AO , .. ,

O^^^^oL4 0 itI^^^ 07wtrer k.k£eo's P(Ca^c^,^

Ouîahccla ; /nrn4br^ ery. Pic^. .-D-ecki, ^5^^ ^1 :^ ^^1 ôg_ i.ea -4) . ? .5 " ^- 1 7^. ^^^^ êaL ^^) ^6,t^^^^ rnci- ^7,q ^^^^'r_^ ^mat. Ft ^ ^b^:.ê - Cttier - y y7 3,5q v-rS' ctz:c,laY}c^q& ^-{ ^^^q,;P-q Ret^^ bcut- I i Jf L) -eA.A -T-r (e

fftl)c A-^ 13.) ^^^ 3^ccr ^::s YN A^ r^ Y`^^^n CdumbEdra ^(, (, (, e ^^^^ ^3^^ 3q-' . , ^^ lawavc-^. Pie ^^.- D^ Q-:^. i ^ ) 1jÂsd^ ^ vloncq ^^^17- CL^^ ^^^îf, * e5q Cf5 Ash(^xyj^ ., ^"^) 8 ^l^Cc.> ic- . 6ne_s ^^^^^^ ^cIrmc.:itn &iU ko^ PLe& .,têaL ^^' ` l'^ ^ _ t^°1^^^^^ ^ ^►^ _ rllfiC4a ^ orle^& Oa^lyloh;n rank(i 1^ _

PlP& zeA^.. Sa g.rw1^^ y(0b';7- q ftec Eo 739_ VU5Lvac,^ las ,^ 911) pj-Q b ^p r.(Ouri

pleC^ ^br-aL ll-raai (ub(pcf ^ ^c;i `7 D^'c:e,.t.., a3.d) ^C C^tri -^►4- d'n Cv rrn^,^{- pfe^ ^ 6LL 35,) ^^ ^ a- C nwae^^ F°2t q v ^ ^^ -bmi. ambe-° ^-c-uit nve-e kf -

L ^3 :?. C^d ^fo2^1'tVYt%^^ o^S Z_^^? zq ^ -1)412.)

-^Ri 4N9) CU-iqe-L . Spat-tdGi Vl9 . ^. A ^z .-c^x ^: c^.:l...qS•) .^,z f ",e-q 36So'l -3 7°"^3 3 IZ,^'r^. ^UCzr7^C^

PlP_ ^ 7^6-L 48) kAji ,Shd. R&3 6 9ew DeaL=.. :5-0) At'^^e^k 61MYS

16L, X)Jaz/ ¢^•^ ^i ^C%fc'^ `^ ^^G^^ S`2^^^^?

^^^^ ^^c-^.t 77^^ ^1,^1d75 .. . . .l^'l ^.^..^^'.C.^ ^ ^6;^C-77ongewi ^^C^e-.^1-n ^ ,-s L1 6_ 0/')r C;/-) ^ 57) ^"lea-D^'GZE^ 11dX10 7-1 ,P%a 7 ^.^at

Pi -^ ^êat De- b^roj1 6rubb 3-7616 , pt^^CCLi &boke ^)6Ct(^ Y°75- 0 m L;b letr:X,j . ^^^ Ûeas P1^^ beW -5:t2-^^ Pf^-.^. Zy°-^bg ei Ac.ic ^êCx ^^.^ ^^^^ ^^^:_ _^^^s__ _ ^7r^► Plea ct^ e o _ teo.L aq. ^ me-e: ^ 1)C-4t^\ .._._.^. o ...--- ^ ^ ^ aealycaL.771n ^ W((4(nO., (^--rrdC°. ht one- 9U4 4`7 ^^cto Q i 0

3P ^^. i74 n k.lin pfe^ 7q= ) ^ 1 ^. ^c^ rYt ^c^ t^ f h7 f

..:_... .^^._.^.^L .. ._.:._ .__... . ec- -cx^c f g 6;Z o^ i.-.L 17s} ^^^ ► . _. ,-- Ptec`beaL `r,-) rY1ani 10001 Y 0 oc^g ket(fs Rea`bcca z e ) fiskle.c^ vlvl-^ejcx^ Rea- q(^ Meft`Deo-L, P-) Cvww^in yr) o" e1erA - 5.) kQra^ L, & 6brG^ e 's ^3 6-,3^ (4C^Ct. 35) {^-- ^ [C.e... dOi(l S{_`76r-) -ran k.,f f^\

^ck^ PJea . --têaL gB^J ^ ck.' t`r ro,^,o de.^^^ ^^ ^ OA riS^^^ ^^v^j h+__ ^êa -06at,, 90) ^.!^hQdq J:h f4den fi7ahoY ^ . a Pêct bea.(- aL.... ^âck.5 mahot-,M^ oeCe... -Deo- (, 047 ^rirlvi_ 9^73&^ qq) ^'j^^nc,l^ ^'7 0^ ^rrr^rr^ k L ^ Y^

Plep- -bfca, 91) k &+rc^ na, lDles

lq3 .,^---- , t Ir 4 GZ ^ F,5 L4 3 C'iuqca2.ln (^ ^ q^^. .. ? .g 3 Y3 C!utah0qcz ^^:

^ ^ ) -De i C_Ar_ d.i( Wi T7 5- ^^L^^Cc^^ ^1211) ^c^+C)Ct^^^rC;t^^

^^,^Z..^t3^£..^ ^^'L".t^ ^,^^ ^ ^ ^•` ^ ^;^C^c.F i ^ ^^L4 ^^ v ^ `^ ^ ^ ^C^r'l ^ i67 1r:^f

$ . _ - ..^-_-... __ . . ^ T .

, ;...... _. . __... _ ...... _ . . . ^...... ^ki^^^t^ti"<%^'b'..1_ . . , . _ . . F p^ /

L' S'57&5 H U

.,: . ^14 ell,^ ^ ^C`^165x2C "^ ^r'Sc_d^E^ ^^VI,.^.., .

^^,'^ithrb^^ 3 .. . . (^r : 4../ ^S.V^'•`r^^.^o ...... '^J'X! ^...... f C`. . ^'r^y. ..^ .L ...... ^. ^

! ^^ ^^ t^^^^•,^ r. ^'^'^-^., ^ +^ f ^C^ ^^ 7^ ^' ^^^,^^,^ ys`Y^^t ^ ^

c(Vk Vj C.,_r C6002-1'

...... ^ r ^• . . , ,:. . . ., .. .^... , ...... ^ ...... /..i `'- ......

^ ^^. .. ^ - • .'NbLV^ ^ ^° ^ Le -t , r)

ld 1-1^

NL"r-- ^^ gW UnT

9 °! ^f . 697a O4O AC^v^

^°c^ J c^W^► " ^^s f feti IO ^60 60 ^^ Y6 b (a & ^Df re &H:Dr (821 5! ^1^q33

. . r' r ^l . ,^-C.il . ^ ^3' f^'4./ ^, . . 8'70^ 7 0J ^ ^ ^ ^^ ^^, 4 ^.

0 C. . L,j+G, r 6`e.r\ i ot ovt1cl (cr ci onq hon-d) ^►^• _^^,^^^. ^^,^ ^ iaot^ Opv 544^^

B . ^ LAcas k^^^^6 ►^^. , ^`' ^^ tr, a A -16 ^^34 7 ^ " ^^ 6 P 1333U ^ ^^ ^ ^ -t-

<2a.^^ t°' , A) t ^, .. ^

7^^^^ COs

All s ^7.^.

^ W &.t Gs r^^ ^'^. r ^s ... .. A VY) _ ` . .

.^6 ": .^-N i... . ^ . ..:^..a ^^,^1 ^.^...... _ . __ . . ^ , ^ 3 ..._.....,...... ^ - .__^./^1'^ " :.. .r,.^[.A^/1 .__._. ....__-..E^.^.._.___ __.^^L/^^^is.SS.^.^J.l.^ ..._.... ^..^ ^

-7f hu

J 1 ^ ^- ^ ...... 70 7.r ^^^^c^^,^^^^^^^^^^^ _ ^' ^^.^^^ ^'^ ^^^^^^^ ^^j^ _ °^ . .►

73 b._p^.^,^^ ., ; `7^^ _^.---^- .-^ _.,^^-- ^, : AJtfo ...... - Cet ^-^ ^ ^^^ ^ ,. . ^ , ^ ^. - . . . . . or, . ^. {` ,4 ' ^. (zc. ^ ...... `79. r^.^t^ Scic(cL ._....

.__^q(o^ _^5 s^^ v.Ve , ^ _.t4cm^ - ...... : . ^ ^^ . . . . . ^ ^^^.^

66 ^, ^^------:::. &Igs

"D Li

^9^3 GZ... . - . . f .^ ^

6 ^', . . ,,, ^ . . _IV _ .. lq_. _.^^ ^^^7. : _. 7^ : _.^ .:... .^ . _ .^- ^ ,, ,^. ... . _ - { ., cv,_ jk4clu,c 67 5-3 k \ . ...._..._ ...- . ^ ...___._ ...... _. ^^^. , :...... , ,^^ ^ _ . ....

Onk.li n _.^ ^ . . . . _ ^ l ^^. `3^^ ^^'^2^ ^ ^ ^^°r^^ (^ _ ^'.^ ^C^^' , 1 ^ _ _ x

►r^,t; n ca Posalqo -ba-ui,^s .. . . Jt c w._ Atic )^-,^,^^^..^^o,_ ^^^^ 4^, ^TT^ _.

t t ^t lCd.

1) ;3 s l d^^

^^^• ZZ-6 Gideon Alert: Ohio Public Defender Commission to force change in Hamilton County (Ci... Page I of 2

NLADA Justice Standards, Evaluation & Research Initiative

JSERB Home About JSERI JSERI Publications & Reports Contact Us Gideon Alert: Ohio Public Defender Commission to force change in Hamilton County (Cincinnati)

BY David Carroll on Monday, June 28, 2010 at 11:33 AM Cincinnati Hamilton County JSERI NDLI Defender Ohio Funding Public Defense Reform Standards State Public Defender On June 27th, 2010 the Cincinnati Enquirer reported about how the Ohio Public Defender Commission (OPDC) is forcing change to public defense services in Hamilton County, by withholding state reimbursements and potentially suing the county over failure to provide an adequate right to counsel.

_As backround, Ohio was the first state to adopt what has come to be known as "the Indiana Model" for providing public defense. In 1976, the Ohio Legislature created a centralized state oversight system, designed primarily for the purpose of administering state assistance grants to local jurisdictions to improve standards of representation. Though funding remained predominantly a county function, the state was to reimburse counties up to 50% of their cost. The statute established the OPDC - a nine-member board empowered to set the standards of performance for existing county public defender offices and to set statewide criteria for determining indigency, reasonable caseloads, and attorney qualifications. OPDC oversees and appoints the Director of the Ohio Public Defender Office (OPDO) - a centralized public defender office that serves as the administrative and reimbursement funding agency for the counties, and provides: limited direct tria}-IeVel client representation to those counties that cede local control; death penalty appellate and habeas representation; appellate representation in non-capital cases; juvenile appellate representation; and mitigation and investigation services.

Unti12009, OPDC had never established any meaningful standards for attornQy_Qr-system performance, and _- __ therefore there was no measure by which thecentra( office could judge the effectiveness of the counties' delivery systems. And, during this same time period, the state had consistently retreated from their financial commitment - in 2008 counties were reimbursed for only 23% of their public defense costs. The impact was such that county governments had little incentive to consider^^^ej^iinqrbudget concerns.

On July 10, 2008, NLADA published a report on indigent defense in Hamilton County (Cincinnati), to the Hamilton County Commission. NLADA found that, while services were constitutionally inadequate, many of the problems identified are beyond the ability of the County and the Public Defender Office to solve on its own. Solutions require statutory authority from the state legislature, funding beyond what the county can

http://www. n1 ada: net/j serifblog/gi deon-alert-ohi o-publi c-defender-coxnmi ssi on-force-cha... 11 f 14/2013 Gideon Alert: Ohio Public Defender Commission to force change in Hamilton County (Ci... Page 2 of 2

provide, and the cooperation of the courts, the prosecutors, law enforcement, and the private bar. On the heels of the report, local advocates pushed for changes, resulting in a stunning victory whereby the governor added $35 million to the State Public Defender budget to bring the state funding closer to the promised 50% level,

Unfortunately, that new funding did not come with enough restrictions or instructions for how it must be used. Hamilton County's portion of the new funds amounted to $1.2 million. Rather than give that money entirely to the public defender system in Cincinnati, the county last year reduced the public defender county budget by $700K and increased the sheriffs budget by $700K. Effectively this meant that the $1.2 million of new money resulted in oniy $500K go^ to pubiic defense and the other $700K going to law enforcement.

Such blatant disregard for the intent of the new funding has encouraged the OPDC to put Hamilton County on notice. Hamilton County has until July 23, 2010 to submit a reform plan or face defunding. The plan must include a new office with appropriate space for confidential attorney-client discussions, appropriate technology (Cincinnati is yet another example of a major urban jurisdiction that expects public defenders to share computers!), and 42 additional staff.

http://www. nl ada. net/i seri/i3l og/gideon-al ert-ohi o-public-defender-commi ssi on-force-cha... 1 l/ 14/2013 Legal Advocates Want Overhaul Of Public Defender System / ideastream - Northeast Ohi... Page 1 of 3

Legal Advocates Want Overhaul Of Public Defender System

Posted: October 2, 2013

C Share ihtfps:/lwww facebook com/sharertsharer php?u=http:/Iwww ideastream org/ne ws/npr/2285724181 4 Tweet (https://twitter.com/share'urt=htfp•//www ideastream org/news/npr/228572418&text=Leqal Advocates Want Overhaul Of Public Defender Systeml Email (mailto:?subject=Check out this paqe from ideastream owl &body=Check out this page from ideastream.org - Legal Advocates Want Overhaul Of Public Defender System: h ttp://www, ideastrea m. orq/newsln n r/228572418 )

Former Vice President Walter Mondale and a former Alabama Supreme Court justice are among those pressing for a bipartisan commission to improve legal services to the poor.

(http://med i a, n pr, org/assets/im.q/2013/10/02/181739036- 031 b9d9323c58d275f41 eaol f8444426cfd6ce84. i pa )

Former Vioe President Walter Mondale speaks at a Georgetown University Law Genter discussion last week. He is one of several prominent individuals calling for better legal representation for the poor, Win tvl^Narrmee

Prominent members of the legal community are pressuring the Obama administration to do more to ensure that poor criminal defendants have access to a lawyer, a situation that Attorney General Eric Holder has already likened to a national crisis.

Calls to create a bipartisan White House commission began earlier this year Lhttp:/lwww.npr.ora/2013/03/15/174331300/50-^years-after-key-case-problems-defending-the-poor-persistj, with the 50th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court case Gideon v. Wainwright that first insured a public defender for persons accused of non-capital offenses. This week, advocates traveled to Washington to meet with Associate Attorney General Tony West to push the idea of the commission beyond the talking stage, NPR has learned.

Former Alabama Supreme Court Justice Sue Bell Cobb, former Vice President Walter Mondale, New York indigent legal services director William Leahy, and Equal Justice Initiative Director Bryan Stevenson wrote a letter to the Justice Department earlier this year expressing concern that many defendants charged with minor

http://tvwvv. ideastream. org/news/npr/228572418 11 /14/2013 Legal Advocates Want Overhaul Of Public Defender System / ideastream - Northeast Ohi... Page 2 of 3

offenses were not getting legal counsel and that others were not being properly served by overworked and underpaid public defenders.

"The right to counsel is a precious right that goes to the core of who we are as a people," the letter said.

They said work needs to be done in the areas of reducing the use of cash bail, which can be unaffordable for the poor, appointing a lawyer earlier in the criminal process, ensuring defenders are truly independent from judges who appoint them, getting rid of some low level and non-violent cases through treatment and other programs, counseling defendants on the impact of waiving their rights and studying the fiscal and psychological costs of over-incarceration.(They want the Obama administration to establish a National Commission on the Fair Administration of Justice for the Indigent Aecused)

David Carroll, executive director of the Sixth Amendment Foundation, describes the scope of the problem this way. "The most prevalent form of right to counsel services in America is for an attorney to handle an unlimitqd number of cases for a single flat fee under contract to a judge or county manager. This model produces a financial conflict of interest in.which the less amount of resources or effort the attorney puts into the case, the more he puts in his own pocket. And, judges often appoint only those attorneys who contribute to their political reelection campaigns. Over 64% of counties (1,900 of 3,033) in the U.S. operate under this model:"

Attomey General Eric Holder has given a series of speeches on reorienting the Justice Department away from non-violent drup offenders htt ://www.nfrr orq/2013/08/07/209253516/with-holder-in-the-lead-sentencina- reform-qains-momentum), making use of compassionate release programs for sick and elderiy inmates, and other steps to reduce the nation's overcrowded prisons. But advocates say one issue that cuts across all those problems is the )ack of defense attorneys for people facing criminal cha