Agency that helps inmates on death row to close doors
Dublin Core
Title
Agency that helps inmates on death row to close doors
Subject
Death row
Description
In Tallahassee Florida an agency is being shut down that helps inmates on death row. The agency is losing its federal funding and cannot keep its doors open for inmates. Another agency in Florida is going to attempt to take over the caseload.
Creator
Associated Press
Publisher
HIST 298, University of Mary Washington
Date
1995-08-30
Rights
The materials in this online collection are held by Special Collections, Simpson Library, University of Mary Washington and are available for educational use. For this purpose only, you may reproduce materials without prior permission on the condition that you provide attribution of the source.
Format
1 JPG
300 DPI
Language
English
Coverage
Tallahassee, FL
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
[[Start Page]]
TALLAHASSEE-- An agency that finds volunteer lawyers to handle appeals for inmates on death row is closing its doors in anticipation of losing its $1.5 million in federal funding.
Tallahassee-based Volunteer Laywers' Post-Conviction Defenders Organization, which recently handled the unsuccessful appeal of Bernard Bolander, has been laying off staff and trying to find attorneys to take over the 50 cases on its books before losing its doors Sept. 30, Matthew Lawrey, the center's co-director said Tuesday.
All but eight of the agency's original 23 staff members have been laid off as the center set about implementing a directive from the Administrative Office of the Federal Courts to begin an orderly shutdown.
The office formerly called the Resource Center, is one of 20 such centers being shutdown across the nation.
Earlier this summer, the Republican-led House Appropriations Committee eliminated the $20 million in funding for the centers that handled the appeals of about half of the nation's 3,000 death row inmates.
In a letter to attorney Mike Mello, who represents death row inmate Joe Spaziano, agency co-director Jennifer Greenberg wrote the group will be unable to help in assisting with Spaziano's appeal or with the investigation of issues in his case. Spaziano is scheduled to die Sept. 21.
Unlike some other states-- such as Texas -- Florida has a state agency, the Office of Capital Collateral Representative, which also handles death row inmates' appeals.
Mike Minerva, head of CCR, said he doesn't yet know how the closing of the lawyers' organization will affect his caseload.
"It may leave some clients without counsel," Minerva said.
His office said it would be able to handle most of the cases, if it receives additional funding. Some cases, he said, such as those of co-defendants, have to be handled by someone else, to avoid conflict-of-interest problems.
Right now, CCR is handling appeals for about half of Florida's 350 death row inmates.
[[End Page]]
TALLAHASSEE-- An agency that finds volunteer lawyers to handle appeals for inmates on death row is closing its doors in anticipation of losing its $1.5 million in federal funding.
Tallahassee-based Volunteer Laywers' Post-Conviction Defenders Organization, which recently handled the unsuccessful appeal of Bernard Bolander, has been laying off staff and trying to find attorneys to take over the 50 cases on its books before losing its doors Sept. 30, Matthew Lawrey, the center's co-director said Tuesday.
All but eight of the agency's original 23 staff members have been laid off as the center set about implementing a directive from the Administrative Office of the Federal Courts to begin an orderly shutdown.
The office formerly called the Resource Center, is one of 20 such centers being shutdown across the nation.
Earlier this summer, the Republican-led House Appropriations Committee eliminated the $20 million in funding for the centers that handled the appeals of about half of the nation's 3,000 death row inmates.
In a letter to attorney Mike Mello, who represents death row inmate Joe Spaziano, agency co-director Jennifer Greenberg wrote the group will be unable to help in assisting with Spaziano's appeal or with the investigation of issues in his case. Spaziano is scheduled to die Sept. 21.
Unlike some other states-- such as Texas -- Florida has a state agency, the Office of Capital Collateral Representative, which also handles death row inmates' appeals.
Mike Minerva, head of CCR, said he doesn't yet know how the closing of the lawyers' organization will affect his caseload.
"It may leave some clients without counsel," Minerva said.
His office said it would be able to handle most of the cases, if it receives additional funding. Some cases, he said, such as those of co-defendants, have to be handled by someone else, to avoid conflict-of-interest problems.
Right now, CCR is handling appeals for about half of Florida's 350 death row inmates.
[[End Page]]
Original Format
Newspaper
Contributor of the Digital Item
Huber, Amanda
Student Editor of the Digital Item
Williams, Megan
Files
Citation
Associated Press , “Agency that helps inmates on death row to close doors,” HIST299, accessed March 12, 2026, https://hist299.umwhistory.org/items/show/194.