Charges dropped against more than 120 defendants in Massachusetts because they can’t get attorney
Boston (AP) – Some of them were dismissed on Tuesday in Boston, a last month’s disagreement that led to public defenders to stop receiving new customers, some of which are some of them to attack family members and the police.
Mostly in an empty courtroom, the Boston Municipal Court Chief Justice Tracy Tracy Tracy-Leonds called the Lavallee protocol to reject the case after the case. If a defendant does not receive a lawyer for 45 days and if he does not have one for seven days, he requires release of cases if he is released from detention. Tuesday for the first time, the suspects in custody were released in recent weeks.
Most of them were for small crimes such as theft, drug possession and motor vehicle violations.
However, a few of them included cases of attack on police officers and domestic violence. It was claimed that a suspect punched his pregnant girlfriend in the stomach and slapped him on his face. Another case contained a woman who was attacked by her child, threatening to kill her and trying to drown her. A third case included a suspect who hit a police officer and threatened to hit him.
Repeating the Lavallee protocol repeatedly, the judge rejected almost all cases after making a well -intentioned effort to find a lawyer of public defenders. No defendant was in court to hear that his cases were rejected.
“This case will be rejected without prejudice, L Lyons said that he would repeatedly be waived for all fines and wages.
Disappointment on the lawsuits fell from the Chief Public Prosecutor
Prosecutors objected to the dismissal of many cases, especially the rejection of the most serious ones.
“Today, in the coming days and weeks, the case, which is more expected in the coming days and weeks, offers a clear and continuous threat to public security.” He said. They promised to protect all cases again.
“Our prosecutors and sacrificial witness defenders are working hard to keep their victims and other affected people up to date.” “These are hard conversations. Here we remain hopeful that there will be a structural solution to address causal problems and to prevent any repetition.”
Speaking to journalists in Fall River, Democratic Governor Maura Healey said that the situation should be solved.
“This is a issue of public security and at the same time a process problem is a necessary process problem because it needs people’s representation,” he said. “I know the parties are talking. They need to find a way to solve this. We need lawyers in court … And they must definitely be paid in a fair way.”
Dispute revolves around the payment
Public defenders, who claim to be the lowest paid in New England, launched a working stop in May, hoping to press the legislature to increase hourly wages. The state institution, representing public advocates, proposed a wage increase for lawyers in the regional court for lawyers from $ 65 per hour during the next two financial years, which for $ 105 per hour per hour for lawyers in the high court and $ 150 to 150 dollars per hour.
However, the budget of the 2026 fiscal year signed by Healey at the beginning of this month did not increase the budget of 60.9 billion dollars.
Shira Diner, a lecturer at Boston University Faculty of Law, said, “Today is the dismissal of cases under Lavallee protocols, accused of crimes, but to deserve any lawyers to deserve any lawyer,” he said. “However, it is not a solution to the inadequate wage crisis for the bar defenders. In courts, this crisis will only concentrate until he finds enough qualified lawyers to fulfill the constitutional obligation of the right to consult the right to consult.”
Payment of public defenders is a national issue
Massachusetts is the last state that struggles to sufficiently finance the public advocacy system.
In New York, judicial assistance lawyers demand better wages and working conditions. At the beginning of this month, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers A Two -year state budget In each of the next two years, the laws that increase the wage of public defenders and regional lawyers. Comes after the legislative organ in 2023 It also increased its salary Rising wild loads, high turnover and low salaries.
Public advocates in Minnesota prevented a strike in 2022 to stop the court system. A year later, he found more funds for his legislature. State Public Defense Board Thus, it can meet what the American Bar Association recommends it for the manageable case load standards.
In the meantime, Oregon fought for years With the critical shortage of lawyers provided by the court for low -income defendants. An indicator panel from the Oregon Judicial Department showed that approximately 3,500 defendants were not a public defendant on Tuesday. Approximately 143 of them were detained, some more than seven days.
In the midst of the public defense crisis of the state last month, deputies approved over $ 2 million to receive more cases in the districts of defense lawyers in the most affected districts, and over $ 3 million to train and supervise Oregon law faculties to address and supervise their misdemeanor cases.
