After more than three decades at the Shelby County Public Defender’s Office, Phyllis Aluko has witnessed significant changes in the criminal justice system, both structurally and culturally. Having served as the Chief Public Defender for the past seven years, Aluko joins host Eric Barnes and Daily Memphian reporter Bill Dries on this week’s episode of WKNO/Channel 10’s “Behind the Headlines.” They discuss the evolution of the office and the challenges it currently faces.
When asked what had changed most during her time in the office, Aluko said the answer wasn’t simple. “That’s a very difficult question to answer,” she said. “A lot of things have changed.”
One of the most significant changes she noticed is case management. Early in her career, the office primarily used a horizontal representation system, where different attorneys would handle the same case at various stages of the court process. She explained that, in addition to having a new attorney involved at different stages, cases often had to be restarted with new investigations and motions…