Expert Services

Executive Director David Carroll discusses various ways that states have enforced indigent defense standards. Also providing information to the Task Force are: William Leahy, Director of the New York State Office of Indigent Legal Services; and the Honorable Thomas Boyd, District Court Judge for Michigan’s 55th Judicial District in Ingham County (Lansing) and member of the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission.

Executive Director David Carroll presents the findings from the 6AC’s evaluation of the public defender office in Wayne County (Detroit), Michigan.

Executive Director David Carroll discusses how best to overcome the systemic deficiencies identified in the 6AC’s statewide evaluation of Mississippi’s adult felony trial level indigent defense services.

Executive Director David Carroll presents an update on the status of the 6AC’s assessment of adult indigent defense services in rural Nevada.

At the invitation of Senator Stewart Greenleaf, Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, 6AC Executive Director David Carroll testifies at a joint hearing of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Public Safety and Judiciary Committee regarding funding of indigent defense representation, as the Senators consider a wide array of criminal justice reform issues.

Executive Director David Carroll updates the commission on the on-going evaluation of indigent defense representation in rural Nevada. As part of the evaluation, the commission selected five of the state’s 15 rural counties for in-depth study through on-site interviews and court observations: Elko, Humboldt, Lander, Lyon, and Nye counties.

Executive Director David Carroll discusses the ways in which deficiencies in indigent defense systems contribute to wrongful convictions. Special emphasis is placed on undue political and judicial interference with the independence of the defense function and on the use of United States v. Cronic to get at how systemic deficiencies prevent even the best lawyers from providing constitutionally effective right to counsel services.

Executive Director David Carroll, along with co-panelist Lisa Foster who is the Director of the Fines and Fees Justice Center, discusses deficiencies in indigent defense systems and what prosecutors can do to improve the right to counsel, focusing on the actual denial of counsel that occurs when prosecutors enter into plea negotiations with unrepresented defendants.

Executive Director David Carroll moderates a panel presentation on “Resource Challenges in Treatment, Counseling and Services Provision.” He is joined on the panel by: Francis Abbott, Executive Director of the Louisiana Board of Pardons and Parole; Betty Taylor, Chief of Police for Winfield, Missouri; and Natassia Walsh, Program Manager for the National Association of Counties. The panelists discuss the challenges in rural America of providing victims, family members, defendants, detainees, and returning citizens with services such as medical, mental health & substance abuse treatment, educational support, and employment counseling. In addition to moderating the panel, Carroll discusses the difficulties of providing effective assistance of counsel in rural America.

The National Project Citizen initiative encourages high school students to get involved to help solve local issues. For its participation in that initiative, the Oasis Academy chose the topic of reform of indigent defense services in Nevada. 6AC’s Executive Director meets with the students to discuss their findings that the State of Nevada does not ensure constitutionally effective assistance of counsel.

Executive Director David Carroll and Counsel Mike Tartaglia discuss the ways in which deficiencies in indigent defense systems contribute to wrongful convictions. Special emphasis is placed on undue political and judicial interference with the independence of the defense function and on the use of United States v. Cronic to get at how systemic deficiencies prevent even the best lawyers from providing constitutionally effective right to counsel services.

Executive Director David Carroll joins a panel discussion of Indiana’s statewide systemic deficiencies in providing right to counsel services. The discussion is moderated by Rebecca Green of WBOI public radio. Other panelists are Allen County Superior Court Judge Fran Gull, Allen County Deputy Prosecutor Mike McAlexander, and Indiana Public Defender Council Executive Director Larry Landis. The conversation is broadcast on WBOI radio and CollegeTV.