Defense costs in the death penalty case of Brian Nichols, the man accused of killing an Atlanta judge, are inching towards $2 million dollars.
Lawmakers on a committee studying the state public defender system admit the Nichols case is the exception to the rule. But they are concerned that Georgia is spending too much on legal representation for poor people accused of crimes.
"Help me understand how we are to put in place a system where someone that's defended on the taxpayer's dime gets a better defense than someone who is paying for it themselves," asked Rep. Chuck Martin (R-Alpharetta).
Another committee member, Sen. Preston Smith (R-Rome), says maybe the legislature should set a cap on the amount of money defense lawyers can spend. He says public defenders are providing "Cadillac-style defense."
The state public defender system is three years old. Lawmakers created it after a commission warned that the county-based system was unconstitutional and Georgia could face an expensive federal lawsuit.
Lawmakers on a committee studying the state public defender system admit the Nichols case is the exception to the rule. But they are concerned that Georgia is spending too much on legal representation for poor people accused of crimes.
"Help me understand how we are to put in place a system where someone that's defended on the taxpayer's dime gets a better defense than someone who is paying for it themselves," asked Rep. Chuck Martin (R-Alpharetta).
Another committee member, Sen. Preston Smith (R-Rome), says maybe the legislature should set a cap on the amount of money defense lawyers can spend. He says public defenders are providing "Cadillac-style defense."
The state public defender system is three years old. Lawmakers created it after a commission warned that the county-based system was unconstitutional and Georgia could face an expensive federal lawsuit.
