Nevada Takes its Turn on Public Defenseless

This week on the Public Defenseless Podcast I spoke with Franny Forsman, a former Federal Public Defender in Nevada. The history of Public Defense in Nevada is a storied one, dating back to the 1800's. Following the landmark decision in Gideon, Nevada attempted to start a state-wide office, but as is so often the case, a lack of funding and organization doomed the attempt. After decades of neglect and underfunding, Public Defense in the state was in a state of crisis. From Reno and Vegas, to the scattered rural counties, the new century looked rather bleak for the right to counsel in the desert. Tune in to hear Franny describe the many issues the system faced, how help from outside agencies like the ACLU and Sixth Amendment Center helped to turn the ship around, and what the future of indigent defense looks like in the state! 

 

You can listen to the show on