MO: state's chief p.d. Baghdad-bound

Director of Missouri's State Public Defender Agency is Headed to Iraq

J. Marty Robinson, the Director of Missouri’s State Public Defender System, is being deployed to Iraq. In addition to his duties as Missouri’s top Public Defender, Robinson is also a colonel in Missouri’s National Guard and serves as Missouri’s State Judge Advocate. Once deployed, Robinson will be attached to the 43rd Military Police Brigade in Baghdad as their Command Judge Advocate. The 43rd is responsible for theatre detention operations in Iraq. As the Command JAG, Robinson will be the senior advisor to the commander on legal issues concerning detainees...

Robinson’s departure comes at a difficult time for the agency he oversees. An independent study commissioned by the Missouri Bar concluded that Missouri’s public defender system is "on the verge of collapse" due to case overload and skyrocketing turnover rates in its attorney staff...

Cathy R. Kelly, the system’s Deputy Director for Training and Communications, will serve as Acting Director for the agency until Col. Robinson’s return...