Field of nominees narrowed for next Macon Judicial Circuit public defender

The field of applicants to be the Macon Judicial Circuit's next public defender has narrowed to two nominees recommended by a panel of Macon attorneys.

In a Jan. 13 letter, attorney Virgil Adams wrote to the director of the Georgia Public Defender Council. Adams chairs the Macon Circuit Public Defender Supervisory Committee, the group tasked with developing a short list of candidates to fill the vacancy. The job came open when longtime Public Defender Lee Robinson died in November.

Listed "in order of preference," the committee nominated Rick Waller and Keagan Waystack for the position, according to the letter.

Interviews are being scheduled with Bryan Tyson, the council's director, in the next two weeks, council spokeswoman Cheryl Karounos said.

The candidate chosen will lead the group of attorneys who provide legal representation for people in Bibb, Crawford and Peach counties who are unable to pay for a lawyer themselves.

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

Waystack is a privately practicing attorney who previously worked as an assistant district attorney in the neighboring Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit.

To contact writer Amy Leigh Womack, call 744-4398 or find her on Twitter@awomackmacon.

This story was originally published January 20, 2016 at 6:16 PM with the headline "Field of nominees narrowed for next Macon Judicial Circuit public defender ."