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Former Alabama U.S. Attorney Candidate Becomes Public Defender

By Andrew Ramonas

A lawyer once considered for Middle District of Alabama U.S. Attorney was sworn in as a county public defender on Monday, the Tuscaloosa News reported.

Joe Van Heest (via Facebook)

Joseph Van Heest, who now leads the Tuscaloosa County, Ala., public defender’s office, was one of two candidates recommended in January 2009 for the U.S. Attorney post in Montgomery, Ala. But his candidacy was scuttled by the White House last summer after facing opposition from Alabama Republican Sens. Richard Shelby and Jeff Sessions, who is ranking member on the Senate committee that considers U.S. Attorney nominees.

Rep. Artur Davis, Alabama’s senior congressional Democrat, then recommended George Beck Jr., a white-collar defense lawyer in Montgomery at Capell & Howard P.C., for the U.S. Attorney nomination in January. He would succeed Leura Canary, who is among the handful of presidentially appointed U.S. Attorneys from the George W. Bush administration still in office.

Van Heest, a former assistant federal defender for the Middle District of Alabama, received the unanimous approval of the committee that hired him for county public defender.

?I have found criminal defense work more satisfying than other types of law. It is often an opportunity to help someone badly in need of help when nobody else is willing to do so,? Van Heest told the Tuscaloosa News. ?When the awesome power of the state or federal government is brought down upon an individual with little or no resources, the system is not balanced. A strong, dedicated and talented public defender?s office is necessary to marshal available resources to reduce that imbalance.?

Full post as published by Main Justice on August 31, 2010 (boomark / email).