Defense Fees Too High in Fla. Death Penalty Case?

Blasting 'Overpayment' of Bills in Murder Case, Fla. Judge Halves Defense Fee Request, Daily Bus. Rev. (law.com), April 10:

A veteran Broward County, Fla., Circuit judge has called the legal bills in the capital murder case against a former federal informant one of the "worst" examples of "overpayment" of legal fees and costs that she's ever seen.

* * * With a trial date nowhere in sight, Judge Ana Gardiner slashed the fees requested by Fort Lauderdale, Fla., defense lawyer Barry Butin in half -- to $10,600 -- when Butin recently withdrew from the case after 14 months.

* * * Broward County officials have flagged the case of State v. Luis Martinez as a prime example of why Florida's -- and particularly Broward County's -- system of appointing private attorneys to represent indigent defendants when the public defender's office faces a conflict has far exceeded its budget.