Public Defenders In Missouri — Underfunded, Overworked?

By Steve Kraske,

Published August 10, 2016 at 4:06 PM CDT

The head of Missouri's public defender system appointed Gov. Jay Nixon to handle a case in protest of withheld funding. So, just how dire is the situation for Missouri's public defenders?

Guests:

Michael Barrett is the director of Missouri's Public Defender System.
Ruth Petsch heads the Jackson County Public Defender's office.
Sean O’Brien is a UMKC law professor and has been director of various criminal defense clinics at the UMKC School of Law since 1983. He served as the chief public defender in Kansas City from 1985 through 1989.

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Steve Kraske

When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.

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Lisa Rodriguez

Slow news days are a thing of the past. As KCUR’s news director, I want to cut through the noise, provide context to the headlines, and give you news you can use in your daily life – information that will empower you to make informed decisions about your neighborhood, your city and the region. Email me at lisa@kcur.org or follow me on Twitter @larodrig.

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