PA: no good deed

Justice is blind; injustice is a poke in the eye

Life's not easy for public defenders. They are, by most accounts, underpaid, overloaded with cases and often have to represent some of the most incorrigible criminals. But most get by on the belief they are providing a service to society.

Dauphin County Assistant Public Defender Bryan M. McQuillan got a dent in those beliefs when his car was stolen Monday.

One day I will tell you about when I got one of those dents, sitting in court in Boise, watching my colleague Ed arguing for bond reduction for a client who years before had committed a very serious felony against someone who was very dear to me. But not today.

(Aside: if anyone knows my friend and old co-worker Jack M., now of the Dauphin County P.D.'s Office, ask him to drop me an e-mail.)