U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley will speak to the House Judiciary Committee about budget woes at the Cook County public defender’s office.
U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley will speak to the House Judiciary Committee about budget woes at the Cook County public defender’s office. Cook County Public Defender Abishi (ah-BEE’-shy) Cunningham said Wednesday the office can no longer afford to handle dozens of capital cases and is asking judges to either take the death penalty off the table or appoint private attorneys. Quigley says he supports Cunningham’s call for adequate funding. He says imposing the death penalty without funding defense attorneys flies in the face of the Constitution and "our moral compass." He’s urging Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn to address the issue. And he’s asking legislators in Washington to make sure to equip local, state and federal systems with the tools they need. ______ Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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