Patt Morrison for Wednesday, May 12, 2010

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

1-3 p.m.

 

CALL-IN @ 866-893-5722, 866-893-KPCC; OR JOIN THE CONVERSATION ONLINE ON THE PATT MORRISON BLOG AT KPCC-DOT-ORG

 

 

1:06 – 1:39

OPEN

 

 

1:41 – 1:58:30

Challenging the state of our public defenders: New York case could have implications for California

The case, which could serve as a model for other states, calls into question New York’s competency in regard to providing legal representation for the poor.  The judge raised questions about the fundamental fairness of the state’s system and cited evidence of an overwhelming number of wrongful convictions.  The story is grim--one of defendants being shuffled through the system with inadequate representation, or none at all; lawyers who are poorly trained and/or trying to juggle an overwhelming case load (on average more than 700 per year); and defendants who are pressured to plead guilty.  Issues with the public defender’s office are not unique to New York. Five other states have filed similar actions.  Nearly 80 percent of individuals in the United States facing criminal charges are unable to pay for representation.  Are we doing enough to ensure that the indigent are being afforded their constitutionally mandated right to counsel? And if not, does the death penalty raise the stakes?

 

Guests:

Christopher Dunn, our associate legal director, New York Civil Liberties Union. They filed the case.

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Danny Greenberg, special counsel for Pro Bono Initiatives at Schulte Roth & Zabel. His corporate law firmed filed the suit with the New York Civil Liberties Union

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• He was President and Attorney-in-Chief for The Legal Aid Society of New York, which represents indigent defendants in New York City.
• Before that he was the director of clinical programs at Harvard

 

Michael Judge, Public Defender for Los Angeles County

CALL HIM @

 

 

2:06 – 2:39

Ask the Chief with LAPD’s top cop, Charlie Beck

Arizona’s strict new immigration law sparks protests in LA, officers are forced to put cases on hold because there’s no money for overtime, bike thefts spike and get more violent, and the city says good-bye to Daryl Gates, controversial chief of the LAPD during a tumultuous period of gang violence and increased tensions with minority communities. Call in with your questions, comments and arguments for the Chief, as he takes on all these issues and more.

 

Chief Charlie Beck, Los Angeles Police Department

IN STUDIO

 

 

2:41 – 2:58:30

Worthy of a librarian action figure, NPR’s Nancy Pearl talks book lust with Patt

She’s known as NPR’s librarian, and her knowledge of literary works is so legendary that a librarian action figure has been modeled after her.  Nancy Pearl is truly a “rock star” librarian—an author, bookseller, commentator and literary critic who transcends librarian circles to become a trusted voice on all matters of reading advice and critiques.  Nancy Pearl brings her years of literary experience to KPCC to talk about her favorite recent reading and big things to come (from the iPad, to the explosion of e-books to the latest in fiction) in the world of books.

 

Guest:

Nancy Pearl, regular commentator on NPR’s “Morning Edition”; bookseller, literary critic and author

IN STUDIO

 

 

Jonathan Serviss

Producer, Patt Morrison Program

Southern California Public Radio

NPR Affiliate for Los Angeles

89.3 KPCC-FM | 89.1 KUOR-FM | 90.3 KPCV-FM

626.583.5171, office

415.497.2131, mobile

jserviss@kpcc.org / jserviss@scpr.org

www.scpr.org