tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post1817869355729951245..comments2024-03-25T20:06:39.794-05:00Comments on Grits for Breakfast: Habeas writ: Dallas judge improperly linked ability to make bail with appointing counselGritsforbreakfasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-66871313804156377212007-10-17T11:57:00.000-05:002007-10-17T11:57:00.000-05:00Gideon v. Wainwright, 372 U.S. 335 (1963), is a la...Gideon v. Wainwright, 372 U.S. 335 (1963), is a landmark case in United States Supreme Court history. In the case, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that state courts are required by the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments of the Constitution to provide lawyers in criminal cases for defendants unable to afford their own attorneys. Texas has long been recognized as national disgrace with respect to indigent defense for people facing criminal charges.<BR/><BR/>Sen. Rodney Ellis attempted to address this issue with his Fair Defense Act bill, but despite the good intentions of this bill this story is an all too familiar scenario being played out daily down inside the Frank Crowley Courts Building. I am speaking from personal experience and from my observation and conversation with other individuals who have had the unfortunate nightmare of being caught up in the Dallas County judicial system. Judge Adams (former judge Manny D. Alvarez, Judge P. Barker) is one of many who engage in this unconstitutional practice and as a result I've helped other defendants and I myself have contacted the Texas Fair Defense Project, the task Force on Indigent Defense, State Commision on Judicial Conduct, Texas Appleseed and others about this and other unconstitutional practices and policies with respect to indigent defense matters in Dallas County. I even filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Dallas county et al., about the indigent defense but the courts stated that because I was acting pro se I could not proceed in what amounted to a class action lawsuit.<BR/><BR/>Lakeith Amir-Sharif ("Sharif")<BR/><BR/>P. S. In Dallas Texas and across this state, and country Gideon's trumpet sounded out the promise that all persons rich, poor, or otherwise would have access to the same level of justice in our nation's courts. As matters currently exist in Texas, the sound from Gideon's trumpet has effectively been muted. <BR/><BR/><BR/>http://www.angelfire.com/crazy4/texas/lawyer.html<BR/><BR/>http://www.a-free-guestbook.com/guestbook.php?username=sharifAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-90286956893665684832007-09-28T16:57:00.000-05:002007-09-28T16:57:00.000-05:00How hard was it to appoint him an attorney? You k...How hard was it to appoint him an attorney? You know the poor sap just wanted to take care of his case. It would have been cheaper. I have heard that he really hates to pay court appointed attorneys. I guess he worked for free when he was in private practice.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-32219045413045382942007-09-28T06:26:00.000-05:002007-09-28T06:26:00.000-05:00We are living in a glass house and are throwing st...We are living in a glass house and are throwing stones at Louisiana! Perhaps we should take the beam out of our own eye before looking at the speck in our brothers'.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-84719047262368807052007-09-27T13:05:00.000-05:002007-09-27T13:05:00.000-05:00You should know this is far from a new practice ar...You should know this is far from a new practice around the state . . .Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-49946147524066407032007-09-27T12:34:00.000-05:002007-09-27T12:34:00.000-05:00No, what Judge Adams is doing is thumbing his nose...No, what Judge Adams is doing is thumbing his nose at the SC.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com