So there I was…. at the jail taking to people for in-custody arraignments.

I was alone in one room talking to a male inmate and needed to talk to a female inmate who was being held in the next room. I buzzed the control room to let me move. My laptop was sitting on the desk in room one next to a jail laptop and the large panel they use for video court. I wasn’t worried about leaving my laptop in the room with the inmate because they typically don’t leave inmates alone in that room and as they buzzed me out of room 1 I passed a deputy who appeared to be going in to room 1.

As I was sitting in room 2 I heard the unmistakable sound of electronics being destroyed followed by footfalls as deputies ran toward room 1.

Apparently they did leave the inmate alone in that room. When I asked why they told me that the deputy couldn’t stay in there with him because they are required to have at least 2 deputies with him at all times.

If you, like me, are wondering why they need two deputies at all times but were willing to leave me alone with him, they didn’t have an answer for me.

*******

[–]BlueCollarLawyer

Ex-PD 117 points 15 hours ago

My condolences. Do you have to declare a conflict now?

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[–]NotMetheOtherMe

PD[S] 78 points 11 hours ago*

I would if he were a client; as would some other people from my office. That’s a big part of why I don’t refer to people as clients unless I have actually been appointed to represent them. Institutional conflicts are like tar in the gears of the system.

In the email I sent to my boss about this I urged for them to not pursue charges for that same reason. This person is already facing other, more serious, charges. Some colleagues have put in long hours on his case. Having them bumped off the case because of a technical conflict with a person only tangentially attached to them would be prejudicial to their client and a huge waste of time.

***

[–]mister_pants

Appointed Counsel 19 points 11 hours ago

If he's your client, you dropped it.

If he's not your client, you dropped it.

***

[–]thirdhouseonright

29 points 14 hours ago

Charge him with property destruction, conflict your office and you're now a witness. Congrats you can close a file. Sounds like a gift.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5636726&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5301927",#48355405)

I initially thought it was some methhead in for some stupid shit, but the OP reveals later that this guy is facing THE DEATH PENALTY for his other charges. This is so crazy that even a redditor has a cogent response

https://www.reddit.com/r/publicdefenders/comments/1gui8qi/inmate_broke_my_laptop/lxvgtzm/

[–]NotMetheOtherMe

PD[S] 18 points 13 hours ago

In my case I’ll give him a pass because he’s facing the death penalty on some other stuff. I don’t know how I’d behave if they put me in a cage and told me they want to put me down like an animal.

[–]InfamousCamp916

[+1] 1 point 7 hours ago

ehhhh. You're in the right work as you really give these guys too much benefit of the doubt. You'd be freaked out and totally plausible lashing out at some point. But he's so self destructive to screw with one of the 2 people that could get him free before the trial is over he's incompatible with society.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5636726&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5301927",#48356219)