Put another way, "the Bill of Rights was designed to protect personal liberties from governmental infringement, not to protect private individuals from each other." The framers of the Constitution understood mistakes happen, and it is better that a guilty person go free than an innocent person be convicted.
According to Beeson, the public defender's office:
...abus[es] the 6th Amendment right to a defense counsel by needlessly frustrating the DA’s efforts and using legal loopholes to suppress incriminating evidence against their clients.
Beeson needs to re-read Gideon v. Waignwright, the 1963 case guaranteeing counsel to those who can't afford a lawyer:
The right of one charged with crime to counsel may not be deemed fundamental and essential to fair trials in some countries, but it is in ours. From the very beginning, our state and national constitutions and laws have laid great emphasis on procedural and substantive safeguards designed to assure fair trials before impartial tribunals in which every defendant stands equal before the law. This noble ideal cannot be realized if the poor man charged with crime has to face his accusers without a lawyer to assist him.
Our system is based on the presumption of innocence. When the Government charges an individual with a crime, an innocent person is at risk. Preventing a wrongful conviction should be the first priority.
Beeson is an elected public servant, sworn to uphold the Constitution and laws of the United States and Colorado. His views and comments are embarrassing and unacceptable.
He sounds like Dick Wolf, who thinks prosecutors are doing "G-d's work" while the job of defense counsel is merely to get guilty people off.
Prosecutors and public defenders have a few things in common: Both groups have chosen public service, and in so doing, they have sacrificed more financially rewarding opportunities to become overworked and often under-appreciated public servants. Prosecutors have no leg up on defenders in terms of doing G-d's work.
Martin, meet Dick. Dick, meet Martin. You two sound like a marriage made in heaven. But please, get a room in Los Angeles. The last thing we need is Law and Order, Aspen.
******
Update: Beeson, a Republican, announced he was running for Congress last year against Democrat John Salazar. Then he dropped out because of his high profile cases: Charlie Sheen's domestic violence case and a 12 year old murder case where it will be a year or more before the suspect is extradited back to the U.S. from Britain.
Beeson sounds as bad for America as he is for defendants. On the campaign trail against Salazar.
As Americans, we must re-summon our courage and stand anew for that central value — freedom. Freedom to pursue the destiny God has designed for each of us without fear of Congress confiscating and redistributing destiny’s bounty through the House Appropriations Committee.”
Or, as Colorado Independent described him,
Beeson wants voters to turn with a vengeance on members of Congress whom he feels are fiscally running roughshod on our God-given rights as red-blooded Americans.
And from his aborted congressional campaign webpage: He says he is:
"[A]n honest, proven, Republican leader who will fight every step of the way...... for the right of every person – born and unborn – to live securely in their right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” (My emphasis)
Maybe instead of spending thousands on overseas trips for an extradition hearing, he should spend some money on technology so he can keep the people of the 9th Judicial District a little better informed about his office and cases than this.
