Gideon's Army Summary

At first viewing of the documentary "Gideon's Army.'* you may become overwhelmed by the dire situation of the criminal justice system in the South, specifically with regard to the poorer and less educated population. To observe how stressed the public defenders are, how tapped the resources, and how desperate the defendants, you struggle with the notion that there may not be anything that can be done and it's too big a problem to overcome. But delving into the professional, and, at times, personal life of Travis Williams, a public defender in Georgia, you feel determination and hope. Williams advocates for each client with passion and diligence. He is fully aware of his situation yet greets each day with new fire and energy. He celebrates the victories and acknowledges the losses. Travis Williams epitomizes why the legal community must be dedicated to serving the men and women who should be, but are not, treated as their more privileged, more affluent counterparts.

I was at the Juvenile courthouse one day with a 3L clerk, who suggested 1 watch a film called "Gideon's Army." She mocked that it was perfect for "those bleeding heart liberals." I watched it a few days later, and from then on, 1 had a completely different outlook on crimes, who really commits them, and how those alleged criminals are treated. Watching as less educated, impoverished, and, in most cases, African-American detainees were systematically held in lieu of bond, or worse yet, pleaded to a lesser charge to avoid a seemingly inevitable guilty verdict from a trial made me both frustrated with the lopsided criminal system and eager to become part of the solution to the