Coos County DA announces release of defendants awaiting trial

As the public may be aware there is a shortage of defense counsel in Oregon to take criminal cases for those defendants who cannot afford their own counsel. This has become a significant issue where persons charged with crimes, whether in custody or out of custody, cannot obtain timely representation. Not only is this not fair to a person charged with a crime, it is not fair to the victims of the alleged criminal activity.

In Coos County, we currently have eleven persons in custody who do not have counsel. The local public defenders office cannot take these cases for a variety of reasons. The local courts have appointed the Oregon Public Defense Commission (OPDC) to obtain counsel for these persons.

Pursuant to a federal court order, if an in-custody defendant does not have counsel within seven days of that person’s first appearance, that person must be released from custody. There are no exceptions. That order goes into effect Friday, June 21, 2024.

I have attached a list of the eleven persons who OPDC has not obtained counsel. Charges range from Rape in the First Degree to minor thefts. Because of the federal court order, unless counsel is appointed, or another reason is found to

hold the person other than the charges pending, these eleven persons will be released from the Coos County Jail starting Friday, June 21 through Monday June 24.

So the public is also aware, in Coos County we currently have fifty-six (56) defendants who are waiting for OPDC to find them counsel.