Frustrated public defender head assigns a case to Governor Jay Nixon

Kai Ryssdal Aug 4, 2016
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Missouri Governor Jay Nixon hasn't commented on being assigned to an assault case as a public defender yet.  MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

Frustrated public defender head assigns a case to Governor Jay Nixon

Kai Ryssdal Aug 4, 2016
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon hasn't commented on being assigned to an assault case as a public defender yet.  MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images
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“Chutzpah” I think…is the word you’re looking for here.

Michael Barrett, the head of the public defender system in the great state of Missouri, has about had it with his office being chronically underfunded.

He has the authority to assign any member of of the Missouri state bar to a case, so he assigned a recent assault case to Governor Jay Nixon.

Nixon, a Democrat, has vetoed funding increases for the defenders office the past couple of years.

No response yet from the Governor’s office.

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