Letters: Readers discuss Missouri public defenders, car prices and Colin Kaepernick
Serve justice
The U.S. Constitution guarantees the right to a lawyer for anyone facing criminal prosecution. The Star’s excellent series, “Defenseless,” highlights the unfortunate reality that effective legal representation is not available to many indigent criminal defendants in Missouri. Reform is urgently needed. (Nov. 24, 1A, “‘Constant injustice’; Missouri must fund and fix its broken public defender system”)
The American Bar Association has long urged states, cities and counties to take steps to improve public criminal defense and to ensure effective, competent legal representation to all who are accused.
In 2002, the ABA House of Delegates adopted its 10 Principles of a Public Defense Delivery System, which have been cited as authority by courts, the U.S. attorney general and the United Nations. The Star’s series documents repeated failings of the Missouri public defense system to meet these foundational standards, including the prompt appointment of counsel following arrest, detention or request; parity of resources between defense counsel and the prosecution; and control of caseloads to allow for quality representation.
Perhaps most disturbing is the series’ revelation that a few Missouri judges are ordering public defenders to violate their ethical obligations by accepting new clients when they already have too many clients to represent them all competently.
Perpetuating a system that forces lawyers to violate ethical rules and standards degrades the legal profession and erodes public confidence in the justice system. In 2012, in State v. Waters, the Missouri Supreme Court stated, “The Sixth Amendment right to counsel is a right to effective and competent counsel, not just a pro forma appointment whereby the defendant has counsel in name only.” This distinction is critical and should be reaffirmed by application in each and every case.
Without competent counsel who are not burdened with overwhelming caseloads and inadequate resources, there is a grave risk that innocent people are convicted and sentenced to jail for crimes they did not commit. This should not be tolerated by a law-abiding public in a country that has at its foundation the rule of law.
Missourians deserve better.
- Judy Perry Martinez, President, American Bar Association, New Orleans
The real price
More and more, we’re assaulted by national and local automobile commercials claiming thousands of dollars in savings, or a big percentage off the price, using the manufacturer’s suggested retail price, or MSRP, as a comparison.
The practice is fraudulent. Nowhere in the country is the vehicle being sold for that price.
The manufacturer knows that, and the local dealer knows that. They both know it’s advertised that way to victimize the unaware buying public.
A true price comparison is what the vehicle is selling for in the Kansas City market. What’s the vehicle selling for locally, and how much savings will the dealer give you off that price? That’s what a buyer should ask of the dealer.
I spent 42 years in retailing, 13 of those years as vice president of retail marketing for the newspaper industry, and always fought the MSRP deception. Sometimes I won. Sometimes I lost. For many years, advertisers dropped MSRP. Now it’s raised its ugly head in every automotive commercial.
Don’t be flimflammed. Consider this when talking to your auto dealer. Ask for a true price comparison and see how much you’ll save.
- William R. Park Sr., Shawnee
Your move, Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs should sign Colin Kaepernick as their backup quarterback.
As we all recall, it was during the 2016 season when Colin Kaepernick began the movement of NFL players protesting during the national anthem. He made the decision not to stand for the anthem in order to bring attention to racial inequality and police mistreatment of African Americans.
And now that he has won his case against the NFL, he’s available to any NFL team interested in signing him.
If the Chiefs ever needed an insurance policy to ensure they make it to the playoffs and the Super Bowl, Kaepernick is it. We all saw what happened when Patrick Mahomes was sidelined earlier in the season. If it happens again, they can kiss their chances of making the playoffs goodbye, unless they sign Kaepernick.
After his recent much-publicized workout in Atlanta, Kaepernick told scouts from the Redskins, Jets and Chiefs: “When you go back, tell your owners to stop being scared.”
So Clark Hunt, stop being scared. Do the right thing and bring Colin Kaepernick into the fold.
- Marvin Fremerman, Springfield, Missouri