PUBLIC DEFENDERS

The absurdity of District Attorneys prosecuting police misconduct is finally dawning on some of media's less dumb pundits.

Possible solutions, except for Federal intervention escape these empty, but still talking, heads.

Here's an easy solution I haven't heard mentioned.

Add "public prosecutor" to the duties of Public Defenders.

Just as every jurisdiction has a District Attorney, every jurisdiction has a Public Defender.

The usual mission of the Public Defender is to represent indigent criminal defendants.

Many PD also advocate for fairness and against perceived unfairness in the criminal justice system.

As such, Public Defenders are the only unconflicted officials who oppose police and prosecutorial misconduct. In a way, that's already their job description.

The bureaucratic structure is already in place, we simply need to add a few more lawyers, "public prosecutors," to the Public Defenders' offices. The only targets of these public prosecutors would be public employees who commit crimes against members of the public, especially police officers.

Who knows the most about police misconduct? Who knows the most about prosecutorial misconduct? Public Defenders.

"Public Defenders" could be the answer to the age old question of who will police the police.

Since public defenders are elected by the same voters who elect district attorneys, there's no guarantee that police will be prosecuted. But at least it would provide a mechanism that would make such prosecutions possible.

Now we have none.

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