🚨BREAKING: Crisis of independence. 2 brilliant public defender leaders *were just fired* in PA. Simply for filing an amicus brief in support bail reform. Retaliated against for advocating for systemic changes. Replaced w/ defenders who won't rock the boat.inquirer.com/news/montgomer…
Keisha Hudson & Dean Beer are among the leading national defenders. Willing to take their perspectives inside of court, & the injustices they see, & fight for transformation outside of it. In Montgomery County, PA, NO ONE gets a lawyer during bail hearings. They spoke out. Fired.
A few weeks ago, Dean, Keisha, & their office filed an amicus brief in support of litigation challenging bail. They laid out the facts. How bail is regularly set & people jailed w/ no lawyers to represent them. No recording of the proceeding. Told stories of impacted people.
Wrote how w/o counsel to advocate for people, & to tell more complicated narratives about the person standing before them, judges depend solely on the charging paperwork and the person’s criminal record, a catalogue of the worst things a person has ever been accused of doing.
How the vast majority are jailed for misdemeanors. 78% have drug or alcohol abuse histories . 24% behavioral health concerns. 68% a high school education or less. More than half expect to make less $12,000/yr. Struggle finding health insurance. 21% have been homeless in the past.
Because of inability to pay, people are jailed on average between 3 & 12 days before they finally are able to meet their attorney for the first time. And once they do, over one-third are released, which begs the question why they were detained in the first place.
For telling the truth. For doing what public defenders are obligated to do- advocate-County Commission (body overseeing the defender office), was furious. Insubordination. How dare they expose the horrific cruelty we inflict on people. How dare they make us look as bad as we are.
The status quo. What the County Commission wants: “Historically, [in Pennsyvlanvia] there was a sense that many county public defender offices were not independent and were actually political patronage jobs and don’t-rock-the-boat jobs." Keisha Hudson & Dean Beer rocked the boat.
With Keisha & Dean at the helm: “Many offices have changed, and in the last several years Montgomery County seemed to be part of the change model, where they hired people who were not political but who really were focused on providing high-quality indigent defense.”
"Hudson & Beer had successfully negotiated for a number of reforms, including an end to extending probation w/o a hearing for those who couldn’t pay restitution. The office also created a new mental health position to handle cases where those issues play a significant role."
🔥Philly's Chief Defender Keir Bradford-Gray: Advocating for systemic reforms is part of the job. "It’s a nontransparent system & if the people who are insiders can’t collaborate with those who are feeling the impact of the justice system practices, then what are we here for?"
Philly's Chief Defender Keir Bradford-Gray continued: "Indigent defense is not just you go to the court and argue the facts. If not us, understanding the complexities of the system but also having access to file the motions, file the briefs on behalf of the indigent, then who?”
Within minutes of Keisha & Dean being fired, 2 longtime public defenders in the office, who as I understand it, will be the opposite of Keisha & Dean, won't rock the boat, won't challenge the status quo, will partner with the powers-that-be, announced they were now in charge.
People: We can't allow this to go unchallenged. Keisha Hudson & Dean Beer must be reinstated to their jobs. To allow the power that oppresses the people Keisha & Dean represent to fire them for zealously advocating for less oppression is not just unconstitutional, it's dangerous.
Note: This crisis of independence is not unique. Many defender offices serve at whims of political leaders. While many offices are supported, thousands are forced to compromise to keep their positions & funding, or fired bc of their commitment to providing quality representation.
Call on Montgomery County, PA leadership who fired good public defenders for doing their jobs to #ReinstateKeishaandDean.
Dear @VAArk @kenlawrencejr @JoeGalePA: In what world do you think it is appropriate, legal, or moral to fire defenders for advocating for justice?
Dear @VAArk @kenlawrencejr @JoeGalePA: In what world do you think it is appropriate, legal, or moral to fire defenders for advocating for justice?
UPDATE: The day the 2 top public defenders got fired simply advocating for changes to bail practice in PA, including the lack of any recording of proceedings, a federal judge agreed & ruled practice unconstitutional. They’re still jobless. But fighting.whyy.org/articles/feder…
