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Newport News public defenders describe caseload, staffing and school outreach plans after city added pay supplements
Summary
City‑funded pay supplements helped the Newport News Office of the Public Defender hire additional attorneys; the office outlined staff roles, partnerships and a proposed high‑school outreach pilot to demystify the criminal justice system.
Beau Webb, chief public defender for Newport News, told the council on Oct. 14 that city‑approved pay supplements this fiscal year have boosted staff morale and helped the office add three attorneys, leaving it ‘‘so close to being fully staffed for the first time since the middle of the pandemic.’’ Webb said the public defender’s office was established in 2005 and is an independent state agency overseen by the Virginia Indigent Defense Commission.
Jessica Crossett, chief deputy public defender, explained the office structure: 20 attorney positions (19 filled at the time of the briefing), 10 support staff including legal assistants,…
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