Boone County public defenders refuse cases

COLUMBIA — Baby on hip, Isis Shelley stood in the low-lit courtroom and listened.

She listened to Boone County Circuit Judge Gene Hamilton assign her a public defender for her probation case because she cannot afford a private lawyer. She listened as public defender Kevin O’Brien refused to take the case. She listened as the judge appointed him anyway. Then she listened as O’Brien explained to her in the hall a new rule of the Missouri State Public Defender System.

Implemented Oct. 1, this rule allows Boone County public defenders to reject a certain kind of probation case.

"They said they'll deny it, but then they'll still take the case," she said after the hearing. “They're trying to help people in my situation, but I really don't know.”

If she was confused by what happened in the courtroom, she should be.