Growing up, my dad was a police detective who explicitly saw defense attorneys as the enemy — but even he will tell you that public defenders are “somewhat better” because they’re doing it for their principles, not for riches. I’ve come to understand that in fact, public defenders are key in order for our society to have even a chance at equality and justice. I imagine it must be extremely difficult to forced to defend someone you know to be guilty of a heinous crime, but for the sake of all the innocent defendants, it is vital that they still have a defense, and the court still be forced to prove their guilt, not just think it likely. Yes, even parents who may — or may not — have abused their children.

In other words, Mr. Mitchom, you are indeed doing the Lord’s work, and I for one admire and appreciate you for it.