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Caseloads Overwhelm Public Defenders


July 16, 2021 – The Line opinion panel looks at the impact of tough-on-crime policy decisions for the state court system. Public defenders from southern New Mexico’s 12th Judicial District say they can’t prepare an effective defense for each of the nearly 300 felony cases scheduled for trial over an upcoming four-week period. Do policymakers need to rethink what it means to be “tough on crime”? 

Host: Gene Grant 

Line Guests: 
Tom Garrity, The Garrity Group PR   
Julie Ann Grimm, Santa Fe Reporter, editor and publisher   
Laura Sanchez, attorney    

For More Information: 

Public defenders in southern NM sound the alarm – Albuquerque Journal