Just a few weeks after Duval County Public Defender Matt Shirk hired Rosalie Bolin — a death penalty mitigation specialist who is married to a Florida Death Row inmate — Shirk canceled her contract Tuesday.

Shirk said while her experience, prior successes and unique perspective on capital punishment would normally enhance his office’s capital crimes unit, he also cited her “well-publicized and colorful personal life that has grabbed the attention of many in the 4th Judicial Circuit, including the news media.”

“I believe that it is in the best interests of our clients that we work diligently on their cases and not allow tangential discourse to ever compromise the serious nature of a capital proceeding our office handles on their behalf,” he said in a prepared statement Wednesday.

Shirk told the Times-Union Wednesday night he didn’t know Bolin was married to a Death Row inmate before his office hired her. Nor did he know of the issues in her personal life.

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One way or another, sometimes we have our day in court. This means that whether or not the client is culpable of the crime he committed, his criminal defense lawyer should do his best to defend his client from the crime committed and will not be convicted.

How will you do that job? If you are a public defender, and the client is appointed to you and you’ve got to satisfy him. Before this person is arraigned in court, you may have time to discuss what is going to be his plea that will then be presented to the judge.

Afterwards, you will have ample time be given thus you’ll be able to conduct an investigation, review police reports and examine the evidence to organize you for trial.

During the trial, each side is in a position to present witnesses. Some of these are consultants and after the prosecution queries this person on the stand, you will have th Continue Reading >>