Advocacy Group for Poor Defendants Sues Granholm


	Print or Email This Page Advocacy Group for Poor Defendants Sues Granholm Feb. 22, 2007 Detroit Free Press By Dawson Bell Feb. 22--A coalition of advocates for poor criminal defendants in Michigan filed suit against Gov. Jennifer Granholm and the state today in Ingham County, claiming that Michigan provides inadequate resources for indigent defense lawyers. The lawsuit claims defendants' constitutional right to representation have been routinely violated, and focuses on indigent defense in Berrien, Genesee and Muskegon counties. Marty Tieber, a criminal defense appellate lawyer, said in a statement "Michigan's broken system is wasting enormous amounts of taxpayer money" in unnecessary jail time, costly appeals and payouts to those wrongly convicted. A spokesman for Attorney General Mike Cox had no immediate comment on the lawsuit, filed on behalf of defendants in the three targeted counties by a group called The Michigan Coalition for Justice.
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