US defendants lack lawyers in funding crisis
New York state accused of falling short on guarantee that everyone has right to lawyer, even if they cannot afford one.
Published On 22 Oct 2014
The right to a lawyer, even if a person cannot afford one, is one of the central pillars of the US justice system.
However, the state of New York is being accused of falling short of that guarantee, leaving many defendants stuck in jail without their cases being heard on time.
At one courthouse in Syracuse, nearly 15,000 people accused of crimes cannot afford a lawyer.
Al Jazeera’s Kristen Saloomey reports from Syracuse.
Source: Al Jazeera