DC Public Defender Service

Champions of Liberty

Shepherd Alliance Summer Internship 2009By: Sasha Mills

Brief Description of the Mission of the DC

PDSThe Public Defender Service for

the District of Columbia (PDS) provides and promotes quality

legal representation to indigent adults and children facing a

loss of liberty in the District of Columbia and thereby protects

society's interest in the fair administration of justice.

A day in the life of an Intern Investigator: My Roles and

Duties• Serve Subpoenas• Attend court hearings/trails for clients and sometimes for witnesses

in our clients cases as well• Meet with clients at jail, their residence, or where ever they’re

located (ex. Halfway house, St. Elizabeth's)• Keep clients updated on our investigations• Contact clients relatives/friends when necessary• Photograph and diagram alleged crime scenes, clients injuries…• Canvass neighborhoods to find out information on our cases and

find witnesses• Gather documents (ex. Police reports, medical records, mental

health records, housing records, phone records, signed subpoenas from judges chambers, criminal records, etc.)

• WRITE MEMOS on everyone we talk to or everything we find out• Interview and or get signed statements from witnesses

IMPRESSIONS OF THE

AGENCY

WHAT I GAINED FROM THE

EXPERIENCE/FUTURE GOALS AND

PLANS

THOSE WILLING TO GIVE UP A LITTLE LIBERTY FOR A LITTLE SECURITY DESERVE NEITHER SECURITY NOR LIBERTY.

- BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

WE CANNOT DEFEND FREEDOM ABROAD BY DESERTING IT AT HOME.-EDWARD R. MURROW

YEARS AGO I RECOGNIZED MY KINSHIP WITH ALL LIVING THINGS, AND I MADE UP MY MIND THAT I WAS NOT ONE

BIT BETTER THAN THE MEANEST ON THE EARTH. I SAID THEN AND I SAY NOW, THAT WHILE THERE IS A LOWER

CLASS, I AM IN IT; WHILE THERE IS A CRIMINAL ELEMENT, I AM OF IT; WHILE THERE IS A SOUL IN PRISON, I AM NOT

FREE.-EUGENE V. DEBS

FOR EVERY MAN WHO LIVES WITHOUT FREEDOM, THE REST OF US MUST FACE THE GUILT.

-LILLIAN HELLMAN

WHAT IDEAS—POVERTY AND SERVICES FOR THE

UNDERPRIVILEGED WERE CHALLENGED, CHANGED OR

CONFIRMED BY THIS EXPERIENCE

DID THIS DID THIS INTERNSHIP INTERNSHIP

CHANGE HOW YOU CHANGE HOW YOU DEFINE AND DEFINE AND

PERCEIVE POVERTY PERCEIVE POVERTY IN THE US?IN THE US?

ANY PROFOUND OR “AH-HA” MOMENTS?? (SOOO MANY

FUNNY MOMENTS OUT IN THE FIELD)

LIVING ARRANGEMENT

FEEDBACKCATHOLIC

UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA:

CURLEY COURT AKA THE TRAILER

PARK

PICTURES!!!