Resources strained
Capital murder cases are different from non-capital cases. Defendants facing the death penalty get not one, but two publicly paid defense attorneys who must be certified for death-penalty work. They also get an investigator and a mitigation specialist.
Consequently, capital murder cases cost eight to 40 times more than first-degree murder cases where the death penalty is not on the table.
“It’s really difficult to manage these things,” said Jim Haas, the county’s public defender. “All first-degree murder