Breaking down in the Mojave

There wouldn't the slightest connection between this

Public defender shortage could result in backlogs

and this, would there?

Pichel, Perkins guilty of murder
"VICTORVILLE — A nine-man, three-woman jury spent less than five hours deciding Wednesday that two Apple Valley residents kidnapped and murdered a Pinon Hills man. Even without evidence linking Lynda Pichel or Reginald Dewayne Perkins to a murder weapon, the jury found both guilty of the first-degree murder and kidnapping of Steven Douglas Shane in August 2002... Pichel's attorney, Deputy Public Defender Linda Forrest, was unable to attend the verdict, interim Chief Deputy Public Defender Robert Gericke said."

What's that about? Covering another courtroom when the jury's coming back on a murder trial? Or back at the office packing up the desk for greener pastures?