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K-State Today

October 11, 2011

Federal public defender to speak on role of criminal defense lawyer

Submitted by Sarah Hoyt

Ronald E Wurtz

Ronald Wurtz, first assistant federal public defender for the state of Kansas, will offer a presentation at 7 p.m. today in 207 Dickens Hall. Wurtz will present "The Criminal Defense Lawyer: Hired Gun or Liberty’s Champion?" The event is an ideal opportunity for pre-law majors from all disciplines to learn about the role of the public defender directly from a veteran of the field.

Wurtz represents indigent citizens charged with federal offenses at trial and appellate levels. His cases range from misdemeanors to capital crimes. He has supervised or consulted on 34 capital or potentially capital cases, and he has tried two capital cases to verdict and supervised the trial of a third.

Wurtz is past president and a founding member of the Kansas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

The event is open to the public and organized by the department of philosophy.