Public defenders contracted for Walhalla court

Walhalla will pay public defenders $65 dollars a case to represent defendants who request them in the municipal court.  The city council last night accepted a contract recommended by Judge Jim Williams that is acceptable to the attorneys who provide defense for defendants who can’t afford private attorneys.  The council is capping the arrangement at 20 cases, or no more than $1,300, through the remaining months of the current government year.  According to Williams, it’s rare that a defendant in his court requests an attorney, but the constitution guarantees defendants legal representation if they face a potential jail sentence.