“It’s a numbers game”

Written By Matthew Clair

Excerpt from Jarod, a defendant at the Hall of Justice in winter 2022.

Interviewer: Hm. Why did you feel like, um, like your lawyer, um, doesn't advocate for you or isn't doing their best to defend you?

Jarod: Uh, uh, I just feel that it's-it's a numbers game in Santa Clara County and, the D.A.'s one side, which they want to have a strong conviction, um, percentage and the public defender will just, you know, um…

Interviewer: Hmm.

Jarod: Try to swap out for, you know, give up somebody for…whatever their interest and how, it, however--it best suits them. I think they're more, um, concerned about their career rather than their clients—

Interviewer: Mmm

Jarod: --Um, rights.

**

Matthew Clair
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