Four apply to lead Macon Circuit Public Defender's Office

Four people have applied to lead the Macon Circuit Public Defender's Office, the agency that provides attorneys for poor people charged with crimes.

It's unclear when members of the Macon Circuit Public Defender Supervisory Committee will recommend a short list of candidates to the executive director of the Public Defender Council, who will then select a person for the post.

The Telegraph obtained the list of applicants through an Open Records Act request. The application deadline was Dec. 4.

The applicants include: Forsyth Municipal Court public defender and Jackson attorney Jefferson L. Adams, Mansfield attorney Christina Behrndt, assistant Houston County public defender LaToya Bell, and interim Macon Circuit Public Defender Rick Waller.

Adams' bar record shows he's a member in good standing, but received public reprimands in 2010 and 2012.

The cases stemmed from clients' not receiving services for which they'd paid a fee and a divorce case being dismissed after Adams failed to appear in court in 2006, according to records.

At the time, Adams maintained that he had a substance abuse problem and was seeking help, records showed.

Reached for comment Friday, Jackson said he has a special perspective in helping people who are suffering from substance abuse.

Besides his legal work, he's a drug and alcohol abuse counselor.

Bell, Behrndt and Waller are lawyers listed in good standing with the bar with no public disciplinary history, according to online records.

The Macon Circuit Public Defender's Office provides lawyers to clients in Bibb, Crawford and Peach counties.

Lee Robinson led the office from its creation in 2004 until his death Nov. 4.

Waller, the office's chief assistant public defender since 2005, was appointed the office's interim director Nov. 16.

This story was originally published December 11, 2015 at 10:11 PM with the headline "Four apply to lead Macon Circuit Public Defender's Office ."