Committee to select finalists for new Macon Circuit public defender

For as long as Bibb, Crawford and Peach counties have had a public defenders office, Lee Robinson led the group of attorneys who provide legal representation for those who are unable to pay for it.

With Robinson's death earlier this month, the office -- for the first time since its creation in 2004 -- now has a vacancy at the top.

Three Macon lawyers who make up the Macon Circuit Public Defender Supervisory Committee now are tasked with developing a short list of candidates to lead the agency. They are Virgil Adams, Tommy Hinson and Wendell Horne.

The Georgia Public Defender Council's executive director ultimately will appoint the office's new leader.

The committee is a standing group whose members are appointed by the governor, a county commission chairman and chief Superior Court judge, said Cheryl Karounos, a spokeswoman for the council.

Ordinarily, the committee's job is to review the public defenders office and its leader's performance on at least an annual basis.

They're also responsible for sorting through applications when there's a vacancy and creating a short list of no more than five candidates for consideration by the council's executive director.

Adams said it's unclear when the group will meet to review the applicants for the Macon circuit's vacancy, but he hopes the short list will be compiled in the next 30 days.

The position, which is set to pay an annual salary of $105,526, is being advertised with a Dec. 4 deadline for applications.

The person selected may serve a term of up to four years and may be reappointed by the executive director, Karounos said.

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

"Everyone was affected" by Robinson's death, Waller said. "We're continuing to do the work that we do."

To contact writer Amy Leigh Womack, call 744-4398 or find her on Twitternote>

This story was originally published November 26, 2015 at 8:52 PM with the headline "Committee to select finalists for new Macon Circuit public defender ."