I don't know about the public defenders but I do know that the 11th Judicial District includes the courts located not only in Fremont County where the DA's office is located in Canon City, but also includes Custer, County (Westcliffe), Chaffee, County (Salida), and Park, County (Fairplay). It's a map of small towns located in the mountains without reliable amenities that city dwellers take for granted.
And more recently, the 11th Judicial District DA's office had to contend with being served an eviction notice by the Chaffee County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC), a problem other DA's don't have to deal with! As if Stanley has the time to sue the County Attorney to do his job on behalf of the County Commissioners!
According to the County Attorney (Daniel Tom), the county needs the first-floor space currently occupied by the District Attorney’s office, to house county employees.
After LS replied to Tom to either read the statute (statutes say that there has to be office space provided) or proceed with eviction, a meeting was held on March 8, between the BoCC, county staff, and 11th Judicial DA Linda Stanley’s Office, including 25 attendees.
It managed to avoid a confrontation that might have ended in the DA’s office suing the county. At issue was not just the space, but how each entity viewed their role in the standoff; landlord, tenant, partner, collaborator — or adversary.
[..]
While Stanley agreed that the space “doesn’t have to be here in the building,” she added, “We don’t want to talk about anybody’s sex assault case in a Starbucks.”
Stanley said that her office needs to be near the courthouse. She reminded the BoCC that the DA has no office in the court building and there is only one jury room, making it a challenge to meet speedy trial deadlines. Not only does her staff regularly meet with victims, but they also need evidence storage, and often have large exhibits or video screens. “We need to be in a location where we can take those items over to the court,” said Stanley, adding “The buildings haven’t been added on to for quite some time.”
“It’s simply too expensive right now and we’re not going to do it,” said Commissioner P.T. Wood bluntly."
[..]
Stanley asked former Eagle County DA Mark Hurlbert (working with her office) to provide a perspective on moving of District Attorney offices.
“In Eagle and Summit counties we had to move,” said Hurlbert. “In Eagle, the sheriff moved into our space. In Summit it was the sheriff’s office, in Clear Creek we had a 100-year-old house. In Eagle, they built us a building next door. In Summit and Clear Creek, they bought a building across the street. In Summit they rented a building about a mile away and gave us a room in the courthouse.”
[..]
“You need to run your office and work with other entities to find space,” responded Wood. “You can’t just blow off this stuff and expect us to do your work.”
“I didn’t at all – he didn’t say that we would work together – he just said leave,” retorted Stanley.
[..]
In the end, Stanley agreed for one of her local staff to become the point person for her office and to provide the general parameters for space.
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The county also softened its tone, with Felt commenting “We know about the situation at the courthouse. It’s reasonable that in future work on the courthouse, we create space there.”
Can't even imagine prosecuting BM in Salida without an office?
What a thankless job -- you couldn't compensate me enough! MOO
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After almost two decades, the 11th Judicial District deputy district attorney’s office will have to pull up stakes from its offices at the county building at 104 Crestone Ave.
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