Recently Weld Magazine published an article about the use of the death penalty by prosecutors in Jefferson County, Alabama and the immense level of work it takes to defend people charged with capital murder. Mr. Sheffield was interviewed about his experience as a criminal defense attorney in Jefferson County when defending people facing the death penalty.
“I think courts are very aware of the facts of what’s at stake in capital litigation,” said Wendell Sheffield, a criminal defense attorney with Sheffield & Lentine, PC. “The courts allow the defense here in Jefferson County to put on mitigation that’s required under the American Bar Association’s guidelines and also is required under case precedent, and I’ve never found a court that’s restricted our ability to do so.”
When asked about recent decisions involving the qualifications of attorneys involved in death penalty litigation Mr. Sheffield said “I can’t speak for what judges in Jefferson County might do or not do, but I can tell you [what] our experience has been,” Sheffield said. “I’ve never known a judge who’s [appointed a private attorney] for no reason. My experience is that they try to appoint competent, qualified counsel to represent defendants charged with capital murder.”
For more see:
Weld Article