I'm not sure you understand how much a defense attorney would charge for this case. Let's say RA and his wife each made $75,000-$100,000 a year ($150,000-$200,000 combined). More if you think so. They lived in a modest house - but let's value it at $300,000. IMO, just to talk to a defense attorney on THIS case would cost $25,000-$50,000. For someone to take THIS case, IMO, would take $500,000 up front. And that, IMO, is what RA was faced with. So now RA is going to have Public Defenders but they are going to get paid, and they are going to get a staff, and they are going to get experts. So, IMO, RA and his wife could barely have saved enough money to even talk to an attorney on this case, but never have saved enough to hire an attorney. And that's giving them lots of money for salaries and home cost, IMO.