Public defense office secures state contracts to continue Blake and NGRI representation; board to highlight in department session

Thurston County Public Defense Director Patrick O'Connor told commissioners on Tuesday that the office has two state funding contracts ready for renewal that will continue representation and restitution work at no cost to the county general fund.

The first contract — with the Washington State Office of Public Defense — would continue funding for a lawyer assigned to "Blake" work (post-conviction relief for certain controlled-substance convictions), and O'Connor said the requested contract authority is not to exceed $234,000. He said his office's work to recover legal financial obligations has already produced significant reimbursements — "close to about a million dollars last year" — and that a number of complex resentencing matters remain.

The second contract will fully fund a full-time public defender assigned to handle matters for individuals found Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity (NGRI), including care-and-commitment proceedings that can involve state hospital placements. O'Connor said these positions are statutorily required and funded through the State Office of Public Defense; he said the contracts cover the positions through the upcoming year and do not require county general-fund contributions.

Commissioners asked that both items be moved to department items so the board can highlight the work publicly; staff offered to coordinate public information with the county public information officer to raise community awareness about vacatur and reimbursement programs.