Thanks for your letter. I was surprised and glad to receive it. Please overlook my tardy reply…

I’ve heard some views about bail reform and I hope something positive comes about. These bonds are ridiculously high in Durham County. I just don’t get it. I was very happily surprised last month to hear I had a visitor (I don’t normally get them). I walked into the room and there was IOA member –. He asked me about the court date I had for the week of Feb. 6^th, but I did not go. It turned out my lying lawyer again failed to file my motions to dismiss and to suppress in January as promised. Such motions are typically heard during the first full week of the month but must be filed during the previous month at least 5 working days in advance.

I have gone through this b.s. with Woodrena Baker-Harrell every month since last May and I finally got fed up with it…I filed a motion asking to remove and replace her…

Court-appointed lawyers typically use a cookie cutter defense to fix the most clients—the tool of plea bargaining. If the client adamantly insists on going to trial, it pisses Assistant D.A.’s and court appointed lawyers off and you wind up sitting in jail a l-o-n-g time, I believe, as punishment, to force you to acquiesce to some lame-ass plea that in no way is a deal to anyone but the state.

I have no idea when I go to superior court again. Now time is being wasted having to wait for a court date to remove this incompetent laywer; then get another lawyer and wait for him/her to get up to speed, then have them file motions to dismiss/suppress, and go from there. What a screwed up system!

You guys take care and again, thanks to all of IOA for all you do for all of us in here!

J.P.