Chairman unhappy about public defender selection
Legislature leader David Donaldson says Lauren Sheeley lacks the experience necessary for the position.
Ulster County Legislature Chairman David Donaldson says the selection of Lauren Sheeley to be the county next public defender was politically motivated and that the former tenants’ rights attorney is not qualified to head the county’s office for indigent legal services.
Donaldson, D-Kingston, said at a time when society is pushing for criminal justice reform and questioning equity within the system, it is “imperative” to have a public defender who understands and has experience in criminal law.
“She has never drafted or filed a motion in a criminal proceeding. She has never picked a jury or negotiated a plea bargain,” Donaldson said. “She has never done a jury trial or a criminal bench trial.”
County Executive Pat Ryan, who nominate Sheeley in June, rejected Donaldson’s contention and said Sheeley is the right person to lead the office during this time of “transition.”
“We are in this critical moment in our country, our county, our state when it comes to criminal justice reform, and I think what is called for now is a real leader who can bring voice and advocate and serve and defend those most in need,” said Ryan, a Democrat.
Sheeley’s appointment is subject to confirmation by the Legislature. If confirmed, she will succeed Andrew Kossover as public defender and be the first woman to hold the job in Ulster County.
Kossover was appointed public defender by Donaldson in 2006, when the Legislature ran the day-to-day operations of county government. Ryan fired Kossover earlier this year because, the executive said, Kossover had failed to seek some $2.5 million in state reimbursements.
Sheeley has been the first assistant Ulster County attorney since September. Prior to working for the county, she was the attorney in charge of Legal Services of the Hudson Valley.
Ryan conceded that Sheeley has no criminal law experience but said she has significant experience in Family Court, which covers a significant portion of the public defender’s duties.
In addition to representing indigent clients in criminal court, the Public Defender’s Office is responsible for providing legal services to indigent clients in Family Court matters.
“I use data and what’s happening in a particular office to try to make that decision,” Ryan said. “If you actually look at the trial numbers, in 2019, there were 189 trials conducted by Public Defender’s Office — 20 criminal and 169 Family Court matters.”
“How is experience in criminal law irrelevant for a public defender?” Donaldson said. “I don’t get that, that’s insane, that’s like ‘Twilight Zone’ talking. How are the optics of you having a public defender that has zero criminal law experience, and then the second-in-command came from the District Attorney’s Office because their candidate in the district attorney’s [election] lost?”
Acting Public Defender Clifford Owens served as an assistant district attorney for Ulster County until David Clegg took office this year.
The county Legislature will vote at its July 21 meeting on a resolution to confirm Sheeley’s appointment.