MSPD in the News

News Release

  1. St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Matthew Mahaffey: Time is now to speak up, reach out and be better (June 3, 2020)
  2. Columbia Missourian: Continued rise in felony caseload cripples Missouri public defender system (May 29, 2020)
  3. Kansas City Star: Missouri lawmakers: public defender system failing, but search for funds a challenge (November 25, 2019)
  4. Kansas City Star: With overloaded Missouri public defenders, you only get a ‘sliver of an attorney’ (November 20, 2019)
  5. Kansas City Star: Before their day in court, poor people charged with crimes can spend years in jail (November 20, 2019)
  6. Kansas City Star: Missouri judge says: Represent yourself in court or plead guilty to save time (November 20, 2019)
  7. Kansas City Star: Public defenders ordered to violate ethics to keep defendants moving through court (November 20, 2019)
  8. Kansas City Star: Missouri prosecutors hold all the cards. Public defenders and vulnerable clients fold (November 20, 2019)
  9. Kansas City Star: Defenseless: Missouri justice system violates the Constitution every day (November 20, 2019)
  10. Kansas City Star: ‘Constant injustice’: Missouri must fund and fix its broken public defender system (November 20, 2019)
  11. St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Erickson: Help wanted sign to go up at Missouri’s public defender office (October 17, 2019)
  12. Columbia Daily Tribune: Pratt: Departing public defender Barrett makes final argument for poor defendants (October 12, 2019)
  13. St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Messenger: With unified voice, Missouri Supreme Court signals an end to debtors prison scheme (March 20, 2019)
  14. St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Missouri children are waiving their right to legal counsel. That’s a problem, some lawmakers say. (February 27, 2019)
  15. Aba Journal: Public service attorneys win important victory in Dept. of Ed loan-forgiveness lawsuit (February 24, 2019)
  16. St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Messenger: Public defender alleges Missouri judge is ignoring double jeopardy protections (February 22, 2019)
  17. News Tribune: Missouri ACLU forum discusses future of criminal justice (January 31, 2019)
  18. Columbia Missourian: In rural Missouri, going to jail isn’t free. You pay for it. (December 19, 2018)
  19. St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Missouri appeals court blasts hole in debtors’ prison scheme (December 11, 2018)
  20. St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Justice is distorted when courts turn into profit-generating centers (December 10, 2018)
  21. St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Lawmaker targets probation-for-profit companies in Missouri (November 19, 2018)
  22. St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Jailed for being poor is Missouri epidemic: 15 cases from Tony Messenger (November 19, 2018)
  23. St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Missouri teen stole a lawnmower in high school – 11 years later he’s still going to court (November 16, 2018)
  24. St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Private probation company tries to shame Dent County woman back to jail (November 8, 2018)
  25. St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Poor defendants in Dent, Caldwell counties join not-so-exclusive $10,000 club (October 17, 2018)
  26. St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Jailed for being poor is a Missouri epidemic (October 9, 2018)
  27. Columbia Daily Tribune: Attorney: Race played role in overcharging by juvenile officers (August 3, 2018)
  28. News Tribune: Woman sues Corrections over jail bills (July 8, 2018)
  29. Missouri Viewpoints: MSPD’s Sarah Johnson discusses Juvenile Justice (June 12, 2018)
  30. Messenger: After 18 years, no progress in Missouri, where ‘Driving While Black’ is still a crime (June 6, 2018)
  31. St. Louis City District Defender files petition against St. Louis circuit attorney (May 7, 2018)
  32. Public Defender featured on PBS News Hour (May 2, 2018)
  33. News-leader: Springfield man stops a bully (March 16, 2018)
  34. Public Defender Lindsey Phoenix featured on NBC Dateline – A Crack in Everything (March 3, 2018) (Some authorization required for viewing)
  35. Delegation of Representation (.pdf) (August 3, 2016)
  36. Public Defender Files Legal Challenge to Governor’s Withhold Actions (July 13, 2016)
  37. Office of the Missouri Public Defender Appoints New General Counsel (September 04, 2015)
  38. Missouri State Public Defender Requests Funding Following Release of DOJ Report (August 10, 2015)
  39. Public Defender Response to Department of Justice Report Finding Significant Constitutional Violations of Juvenile Rights in St. Louis County (July 31, 2015)
  40. Public Defender Director Calls for Immediate Moratorium on the Death Penalty Following Latest Report Showing Racial Bias (July 17, 2015)
  41. Missouri’s New State Public Defender Sworn into Office (May 28, 2015)
  42. Oath of Office Remarks: Michael Barrett (May 28, 2015)
  43. Cat Kelly Steps Down from State Public Defender Post (May 28, 2015)
  44. Office of the Missouri State Public Defender Selects District Defender of the Rolla Trial Office (May 20, 2015)
  45. Curt Winegarner Receives 2015 Defender of Distinction Award (May 15, 2015)
  46. Public Defender Commission Appoints Michael Barrett to be the Next State Public Defender (March 27, 2015)