Cross Country
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration attributes scores of deaths to overdosing on the pills, also known as Hillbilly Heroinand OC. And high schoolers and college students have been especially likely to abuse the drug, says DEA spokesman Garrison Courtney. "It's right there in parents' medicine cabinet."
Speedy Trials: Here Only in Theory
It's perhaps the most thankless job in New Orleans: defending hundreds of indigent criminal defendants locked up in the city's overcrowded jails. Even before Hurricane Katrina hit, the 40 or so lawyers saddled with the task shared an office with only two telephones and not one computer. But then the storm flooded evidence rooms, destroyed records, and sent all but six public defenders packing, making it nearly impossible to ensure defendants accused of everything from purse snatching to murder a speedy trial.
So impossible that last week, New Orleans Judge Arthur Hunter Jr. suspended the trials of 98 jailed defendants and ordered 20 released without bail, enraging the district attorney and prompting an appellate court to temporarily delay the release. No matter who prevails, almost everyone involved agrees that the public defender system is broken. Some have pinned their hopes on a state bill that would revamp the way public defender offices are staffed and run."But then we have to come up with the funding and get everything set up, which could take until early next spring," says sponsor state Rep. Daniel Martiny. So much for ensuring a speedy trial.
With Chitra Ragavan, Chris Wilson, Sarah Baldauf, Alex Markels and Wire service reports
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