My PD

So the public defender issued to me (my second actually) is horrible. I am filing a complaint against her (below). I have hired a real lawyer (for lots of money I am making by painting a little carpentry) who is great. He is representing some other folks arrested with me so is privy to what happened and how best to fight the charges. The state has singled me out out the group, giving me the most and the harshest charges as well as pushing my case forward the quickest. I am scheduled for a trial by jury on the 20th (way before any other RNC case I have heard of), but my lawyer will hopefully get it pushed back to give him time to prepare.

Now without further, my complaint to the Ramsey Co. Public Defenders office.

Both interactions I have had with Marilyn Knudsen have been an exhausting
and demeaning experience.  The first was a phone conversation where she
was very angry with me for 15 minutes for not mailing her a description of
the events prior to my arrest.  She did not receive contact info from my
first Public Defender Ron Paulzine, and she refused to contact me any way
other then then a house in upstate NY that I do not live in anymore.  She
said she did not have the time to 'babysit' me.  Nothing else was
communicated during the 15 minutes, it was just her yelling at me.  When
we met before my Sept 25th court date we had talked for 2 minutes before
she said "I have many more important clients and having to spend so much
of my time on you is making me sick."  She was demeaning constantly during
this short interview.  She refused to believe that I was protesting
non-violently because I had on a black sweatshirt, wore a mask, and did
not give my name at the time of my arrest.  I understand that she has to
anticipate the questions a prosecuting attorney might ask, but her level
of hostility during this brief conversation was startling.  She asked me
why I was wearing a uniform that symbolized violence, and informed me that
she hated uniforms before I had a chance to answer.  She asked me why I
just didn't join the army if I wanted to be violent and wear a uniform.
At one point she contemptuously asked my level of education.  I answered
her and she replied "Then you must understand the English language." She
was not filling out a form or getting information pertinent to the case,
she was insulting me because of my lack of knowledge of the legal process.
At another point she asked if I was mentally disabled.  When I was called
before the judge he told Mrs. Knudsen and I that the state was adding 4
charges to my case, bringing the total to 7.  He asked Marilyn if she had
spoken to me about them and she said "yes" but I had to interject that she
had not.  It was important to me that I understand the severity of the new
charges, since I had been charged with misdemeanors and was now being
charged with a gross misdemeanor for the first time.  She asked the judge
for a 5 minute recess and was furious at me for contradicting her in front
of the judge, but did answer my questions about the new charges.  It was
during this 5 minute recess that she told me that this was not a pretrial
hearing (as had been scheduled), but an omnibus hearing.  I had no idea
what was going on or what to expect when we went back in front of the
judge.  I wanted to ask her, but was afraid to.  Her level of hostility
and outright anger at me, combined with my need for her to act on my
behalf, effectively silenced me.  After my case was heard, she left the
courtroom immediately and I have not spoken to her since.  I feel that it
is important that you understand that during each of my interactions with
Mrs. Knudsen that I was consistently trying to be both helpful and polite.
I was (and am) very aware of how helpful or hurtful she has the power to
be right now.  My hope is to find alternate representation, although I
have given her the document she requested of me in case I cannot.  I would
like her not to know that I am part of this complaint until I find other
representation.

Alex Taft
10/1/08