#plea-bargaining

#plea-bargaining

Overworked and understaffed public defenders aren't able to meet the constitutionally required minimum standards for fair trials, to the point that last year, the state started to let defendants walk, purely because no one was able to represent them after a week. Without effective counsel and access to it, it is very easy for the state to steamroll the accused toward gambling on a known plea deal or dealing with the uncertainty of trial.