SandBox Comments: Aspen Daily News/Letter to the Editor "Justice is not just for the rich"

"DA Beeson’s comments were brought to my attention and I really feel compelled to comment on them. As far as his office “seeking justice” as opposed to the defense bar, I have to really think about this, and any citizen in your district should too. First, I am one of those “defense bar” attorneys he speaks of. I fight for justice every day.

I represent clients who are forced into plea deals without realizing the consequences because the DA’s office does not have an obligation to tell them what they really face. Clients of mine are forced to speak to the DA prior to applying for a public defender. This is found unconstitutional in almost every other state and even the U.S. Supreme Court has found it unconstitutional in Texas. Somehow Colorado feels differently.

I represent clients who have had law enforcement officers do shoddy investigations, used excessive force, and violate our most basic constitutional and human rights. My clients have no other voice.

Government no longer speaks for them, and I, along with many, many members of Colorado’s defense community seek justice for these clients. We seek justice and we demand that the government that brings charges against its own citizens do so honestly, and that the law is applied fairly. Justice is not just for the rich. It is for all. That is seeking justice."

Lynda Carter
Pagosa Springs, Colo.

"Truth goes through three stages. First it is ridiculed. Then it is violently opposed. Finally, it is accepted as self-evident."