During a speech before the American Bar Association’s National Summit on Indigent Defense, Attorney General Eric Holder told the audience of attorneys that the U.S. Department of Justice will work to improve legal representation for individuals deemed too poor to hire an attorney to represent them in criminal cases.

Holder pointed out that nearly a half-century ago the U.S. Supreme Court’s Gideon v. Wainwright ruling stipulated that the United States Constitution requires defendants in criminal cases to be provided with legal counsel, even if they cannot afford an attorney.

However, Holder went on to say that all across this country — the basic rights guaranteed by the Gideon decision are still being denied to some defendants.

“Millions of Americans still struggle to access the legal services that they need and deserve – and to which they are constitutionally entitled,” said the controversial Attorney General..

Attorney General Holder declared:

“Across the country, public defender offices and other indigent defense providers are underfunded and understaffed. Too often, when legal representation is available to the poor, it’s rendered less effective by insufficient resources, overwhelming caseloads, and inadequate oversight.”

According to Holder, the Justice Department’s Access to Justice Initiative has been working with many offices within the department to develop the following initiatives that advance Gideon and support equal access to legal representation, regardless of income.

“While the Obama administration is clearly sympathetic to poor murders, rapists and other criminals — not to mention terrorists and criminal aliens — Americans should be worried about the current lack of money available to imprison felons that’s led to early releases of criminals who serve only a fraction of their sentences,” said attorney and political strategist Mike Baker.

“Spending money like drunken sailors on lawyers for criminals is not conducive to better legal representation. I personally know legal aid attorneys who do not take a backseat to Park Avenue lawyers when it comes to criminal cases,” said Baker.

And former police detective and assistant district attorney Joseph Gretch adds, “If you look at court documents generated by Holder’s Justice Department, it’s easy to see he prefers prosecuting wealthy Americans and large corporations. In some cases, he’ll settle for millions — even billions — of dollars.”

Holder and the ABA Ten Principles

The ABA Ten Principles of a Public Defense Delivery System represent fundamental building blocks for implementing quality legal representation, according to Holder. Released in 2002, the principles list the ABA’s recommendations for improving public defense delivery systems. These principles were recognized by the Attorney General as, “an essential guidepost for ensuring that our indigent defense efforts are as effective- and as efficient – as possible.”

To help jurisdictions strengthen state, local, and tribal indigent defense systems, OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance will release $1.4 million of new discretionary grant funding to support projects that help make achievement of these principles a reality. The BJA grant solicitation will be released this spring.

“There is insufficient research on the barriers to effective representation in criminal matters. To address this research gap, the department will invest up to $1 million to fund research projects that contribute to indigent defense knowledge and practice. This research will help policy-makers make better data-informed decisions. The grant solicitation will be released in several weeks” said Holder.

Since its launch in 2010, the Access to Justice Initiative has worked to help the justice system efficiently deliver outcomes that are fair and accessible to all, irrespective of wealth and status, according to Holder.

But, some law enforcement officers and prosecutors are suspicious of Holder’s loyalties — and those of his boss President Barack Obama. More than a few believe Holder’s speech is intended to keep the flow of money from the coffers of the ABA to the campaign coffers of Obama and other Democrats.

“It’s no secret that one of the Democrat Party’s biggest financial supporters is the ABA. When the Democrats criminalize or regulate some activity, attorneys are certain to benefit,” said former police detective and security firm owner Sidney Franes.

Continue reading on Examiner.com.

(No Ratings Yet)

 Loading …

About Jim Kouri

Jim Kouri, CPP, formerly Fifth Vice-President, is currently a Board Member of the National Association of Chiefs of Police, an editor for ConservativeBase.com, and he’s a columnist for Examiner.com. In addition, he’s a blogger for the Cheyenne, Wyoming Fox News Radio affiliate KGAB (www.kgab.com). Kouri also serves as political advisor for Emmy and Golden Globe winning actor Michael Moriarty.

He’s former chief at a New York City housing project in Washington Heights nicknamed “Crack City” by reporters covering the drug war in the 1980s. In addition, he served as director of public safety at a New Jersey university and director of security for several major organizations. He’s also served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police and security officers throughout the country.

Kouri writes for many police and security magazines including Chief of Police, Police Times, The Narc Officer and others. He’s a news writer and columnist for AmericanDaily.Com, MensNewsDaily.Com, MichNews.Com, and he’s syndicated by AXcessNews.Com.

Kouri appears regularly as on-air commentator for over 100 TV and radio news and talk shows including Fox News Channel, Oprah, McLaughlin Report, CNN Headline News, MTV, etc.

To subscribe to Kouri’s newsletter write to COPmagazine@aol.com and write “Subscription” on the subject line.Jim is the National Public Safety Examiner at Examiner.com

• Mail

|

• Web

|

• More Posts (557)