THREAD: 9,001 souls are caged in Harris county jail today. The status quo of indigent defense has allowed thousands of people to be shuffled through the “meet 'em and plead 'em” culture.
It has perpetuated a system of carceral violence that detains people solely for their inability to afford cash bail or a private attorney. These are some of the dozens of letters we received in November.
Every month of delay and inaction violates the Sixth Amendment rights of anywhere from 1,500-2,000 people who are being assigned overloaded court-appointed attorneys through this system.
Every month of delay and inaction violates the Sixth Amendment rights of anywhere from 1,500-2,000 people who are being assigned overloaded court-appointed attorneys through this system.
Every month of delay and inaction violates the Sixth Amendment rights of anywhere from 1,500-2,000 people who are being assigned overloaded court-appointed attorneys through this system.
Every month of delay and inaction violates the Sixth Amendment rights of anywhere from 1,500-2,000 people who are being assigned overloaded court-appointed attorneys through this system.
Every month of delay and inaction violates the Sixth Amendment rights of anywhere from 1,500-2,000 people who are being assigned overloaded court-appointed attorneys through this system.
What’s hard to measure is the trauma being inflicted upon individuals from extended family separation.
This man tried all possible avenues including reaching out to the State Bar over and over again. When the State Bar itself could not reach his attorney, all they did was close his file. Yet another state agency with no teeth.
This man tried all possible avenues including reaching out to the State Bar over and over again. When the State Bar itself could not reach his attorney, all they did was close his file. Yet another state agency with no teeth.
This man tried all possible avenues including reaching out to the State Bar over and over again. When the State Bar itself could not reach his attorney, all they did was close his file. Yet another state agency with no teeth.
Harris county can create an oversight system that has the authority to investigate attorney practices and appointments by judges, reject payments for fraudulent reporting, and document ignored correspondence from folks in jail.
Waiting on judges to act is not the answer. Corrupt attorney appointment practices are keeping people trapped in jail during a pandemic. Six people have already died from COVID-19. The time to act is now.
You can follow @TxJailProject.
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