These people are requiring us to endanger our lives, our family’s lives and our clients lives. It’s very clear by their behavior and that they continue to keep court open for nonessential business they do not care about the health and safety of our community. https://twitter.com/joebrunowsoc9/status/1336483075488952328

I’m not surprised that they do not care about the health and safety of public defenders or our clients (who are often referred not as people but as case numbers) but every single contact we make in court contributes to further potential spread and endangering the community

For a really long time, I have felt that that public defenders, and honestly our clients, have been the sacrificial lambs of the pandemic here in Charlotte, and that feeling has taken a tremendous toll on my mental and emotional health.

Now I know it’s true.

Working as a public defender and for my clients has been one of the greatest privileges of my life. I will continue to show up to court when expected and I will do this work proudly like I have for 8 years. 

But I shouldn’t have to sacrifice my health and safety for it.