The Department of Justice held a symposium on the public defender system. Attorney General Eric Holder gave the keynote address. In his remarks he promised the Justice Department under his direction would not forget about the needs of the public defender system. 
Panelists talked about the public defender system. In 1963 the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the felony conviction of Clarence Earl Gideon after he was denied a request for free legal counsel. The Court ruled that state courts are required under the Sixth Amendment to provide counsel in criminal cases for defendants who cannot afford counsel. Jo-Ann Wallace moderated.