Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies
A Times Editorial
© St. Petersburg Times, published August 24, 2000
Bob Dillinger
For Pinellas-Pasco public defender
Four years ago, Bob Dillinger defeated a man who had been the Pinellas-Pasco public defender for 35 years and hadn't tried a case in two decades. As he seeks re-election this year, Dillinger can credibly show voters an office with more vigor, with more attorneys and fewer administrators, with a new focus toward mentally ill offenders. And he can certainly talk about Dale Morris Jr., an east Pasco man wrongly accused of killing a 9-year-old girl, a man who was freed after Dillinger persuaded prosecutors they had no case.
In this election year, Dillinger faces a challenge of his own -- from an attorney, Cimos Angelis, who worked in his own office. But this is not a close call. Angelis is a competent attorney, but Dillinger has more education, more seasoning and more respect in the legal community.
Dillinger was a top litigator for the public defender from 1976 to 1981 who then went into private practice and became a high-profile criminal-defense attorney. He won numerous awards, including the Nelson Poynter Award for death penalty appeals cases, the Robert Hindman Award for his attempts to clean up law enforcement abuses and a local Pro Bono Award for providing free legal services. Since being elected as public defender, he has actively recruited talented young attorneys, including minority attorneys, and he has been a force for legislative change in Tallahassee to protect the rights of juveniles. In his office, he has used an innovative approach for the defense of mentally ill defendants, sending first a social worker to review the case and assess the mental-health needs. He also has made sure the public defender's office is represented on the Juvenile Welfare Board.
Dillinger has built a solid reputation in his career as a defense attorney, though he has made some political stumbles in this campaign. After criticizing the previous public defender, Robert Jagger, for accepting campaign contributions from people who work in the office, Dillinger did so himself this year. To his credit, he did return the money, once the question was raised.
Angelis, 38, has been an attorney for 12 years but needs a considerably broader background in management and the law to be a persuasive candidate.
Because these two Republicans are the only candidates seeking the job, this primary will be open to all voters in Pinellas and Pasco counties. The public defender's role is a vital one in the criminal justice system; it's an office with the responsibility of defending people who are charged with a crime but who have no money to pay for their own attorney. Dillinger has spent his career helping poor people face the law. We strongly recommend him.