July 9, 2013

Short Takes: “Gideon’s Army”

Gideon’s Army

HBO DOCUMENTARY FILMS

Dawn Porter practiced law for 15-plus years, mostly for TV studios—before our justice system’s iniquities inspired her to get behind the camera. Gideon’s Army follows public defenders as they struggle with absurd caseloads and fret over clients’ fates. One resorts to pocket change to buy gas. “This is all the money I have in the world right now,” she explains. The occasion for the film is the 50th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Gideon v. Wainwright ruling, which compels states to provide an attorney to criminal defendants who can’t afford one. And that’s something. But as Porter sums up today’s situation, “You have the right to a lawyer. You don’t necessarily have the right to a good one.”

This review originally appeared in our July/August issue of Mother Jones. 

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DEFEND THE TRUTH. DEFEND JOURNALISM.

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things it doesn’t like—which is most things that are true.

We’ll say it loud and clear: At Mother Jones, no one gets to tell us what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please do your part and help us reach our $150,000 membership goal by May 31.

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