Bankruptcy Legal Costs Appalling

I read that Robert L. Citron asked for leniency in his sentencing for his crimes involved with the Orange County bankruptcy. These entire bankruptcy trial proceedings have seemed outrageous to me! The incredible amounts of money being approved and continually increased by the Board of Supervisors for the defense of themselves and the other county employees are absurd!

Why are we paying anything at all for their defense? Couldn’t the public defender’s office have been used to defend these people? They weren’t doing their job, they were committing illegal acts with public money.

If they felt their “free” legal representation was not adequate, then they could seek independent counsel out of their own pockets. As far as Citron’s sentencing, I really do not believe the public wants to put a 71 year-old person in jail for seven years. I believe most of us would rather see him do something useful instead of having him cost us even more money to imprison him while we constantly release violent criminals due to lack of space.

T.S. PAYNE

Huntington Beach