section update
The Public Interest Section and the Criminal Law
Section Celebrated Public Defenders in the South
By Jessica Felfoldi
Staff Attorney at the Atlanta Legal Aid Society
[email protected]
O
n January 16th, the Public Interest Law Section
joined with the Criminal Law Section and the Emory
Public Interest Committee to host a screening of
Gideon’s Army at Emory Law School. This award-winning
HBO documentary examines the sometimes overwhelming
challenges faced by public defenders (accolades include
a 2013 Sundance Film Festival award). The film primarily
follows the journey of two public defenders from Georgia
who receive support and training through Gideon’s Promise,
formerly the Southern Public Defender Training Center. Both
the film and the training corps are named for the landmark
U.S. Supreme Court case of Gideon v. Wainwright, which
held that state courts must provide an attorney to criminal
defendants who could not otherwise afford one. The film
takes an unflinching look at the many challenges facing
public defenders: enormous caseloads; lack of funding
The Official News Publication of the Atlanta Bar Association
for basic investigation and routine office needs; low pay
combined with student loans; and few viable alternatives for
their clients to taking a plea deal. In one scene, a young
public defender from Cobb County quickly transitions from
elation to defeat as she realizes the alternative treatment
program approved by the judge is financially out of reach for
her client and his family. The film deftly brings the audience
along for the emotional roller coaster of this line of work.
It was well-received by our attendees and generated many
questions for our panelists, Claudia Saari, Chief Public
Defender at the Dekalb County Public Defender Office, and
Ilham Askia, Executive Director and co-founder of Gideon’s
Promise. We were also pleased to welcome special guest
Jon Rapping, President and Founder of Gideon’s Promise.
The Public Interest Law Section sends our warm thanks to
all who made this event possible.
March 2014
THE ATLANTA LAWYER
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