Today is Gideon’s Day. The day to honor public defenders. Thinking of Keisha Hudson. Fired for challenging obscene local bail practices. Judges purposely set bail in amounts people couldn’t afford & w/o any attorney present. She’s needed now more than ever.
TAKE ACTION: To learn more & sign a petition calling on the Montgomery County Commission to reinstate Keisha and Dean after their illegal firing, visit JusticeInCrisis.com. This is high stakes folks.
Now, more than ever, strong & vocal leadership is needed to ensure the health & well-being of those facing loss of liberty or already incarcerated. In Montgomery County, PA that leadership is now missing. The County Commission fired Keisha Hudson & Dean Beer, the 2 top defenders.
There is an urgent need for public defenders to fight for those at enhanced risk for contracting COVID-19. For the sake of fairness, independence, and public health, Dean & Keisha must be reinstated. But how & why were they fired for fighting injustice?
Dean Beer & Keisha Hudson filed an amicus brief w/ the PA Supreme Court, underscoring the illegal pre-trial system in Montgomery County. Soon after, they were fired bc they supposedly failed to ask permission from the very powers that allowed this illegal system to persist.
Every day in Montgomery County, PA, judges violate the constitution. They jail people pretrial on unaffordable bail at hearings w/o any defense attorney. There’s no funding for defense at this critical stage. The result: Separation of countless families & disruption of lives.
So Dean & Keisha spoke out. Advocates to change the status quo. They filed an amicus brief in support of @ACLU litigation challenging state-wide bail practices. Told stories of the impact of the system in Montgomery County. They advocated for the people & communities they serve.
After filing the brief, the Chief Judge demanded they withdraw it & threatened to end a promised pretrial services program. County Commission, who funds the defender office, made the same demand. Both made clear defenders must first get permission before advocating for reform.
Concerned about future funding for their office & client well-being the defenders decided to withdraw the brief. It was too late. They were summarily fires w/o notice. They were escorted out by security. To judge & County Commission, they couldnt be trusted. Immediately replaced.
Their staff: “Were left to question our independence, the impact of our advocacy, & whether such advocacy would be limited. To witness our chiefs fired, escorted from the Office by security created a sense of confusion, fear, & had a chilling effect on those of us who remained.”
Public defenders shouldn’t need to get permission to advocate for clients. Yet many defender offices, like Montgomery County, serve at the whim of political leaders, either local or state-based. Assigned counsel attorneys are also beholden to judges that assign them to cases.
While some defenders are supported by their local government officials & their judiciary, thousands of defender leaders & individual attorneys are forced to compromise to keep positions & funding, or risk termination bc of their commitment to quality representation.
At the beginning of March THE COMMUNITY RALLIED and passionately voiced their objections to the County Commission. Then, in an unprecedented move, members of the private bar of Montgomery County refiled Dean and Keisha's amicus brief. The stakes were too grave to ignore. 
Today: Civil Rights Corps (@CivRightsCorps) filed a lawsuit alleging retaliation on first amendment grounds. @this case for First Amendment retaliation under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, and for wrongful discharge under the common law of Pennsylvania.” Lawsuit: cdn.buttercms.com/wg3YkC63QR20Rj…
TAKE ACTION: To learn more & sign a petition calling on the Montgomery County Commission to reinstate Keisha and Dean after their illegal firing, visit JusticeInCrisis.com. This is high stakes folks.
