Pubdate: Fri, 29 Jul 2005 Source: Tribune Review (Pittsburgh, PA) Copyright: 2005 Tribune-Review Publishing Co. Contact: http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/trib/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/460 Author: Ronald J. Hill JUSTICE ON DRUGS? Read the local paper. Turn on the news. Rarely does a day go by without young black men killing each other over drugs. This past December, I tragically lost a son to this situation. The alleged suspects had no jobs and had been in trouble with the law in the past. But how could people without jobs be represented by two of the top attorneys in the county? They were. How can they hire private investigators as expert witnesses? They did. With the only source of income being drugs, it becomes obvious that this drug money is being used to hire such representation. On the federal level, the money transactions surrounding a drug case can be revealed. At the trial for my son's death, when I asked representatives why no questions were being asked when attorneys accept large sums of money from persons without any source of income except from drug dealing, I was told that at the state level, attorneys and defendants do not have to account for any payment agreements or sources of monies. As long as the drug dealers can use drug money for their defense, the attorneys and the state system will be corrupt for accepting it and the cycle will continue. Ronald J. Hill Penn Hills - --- MAP posted-by: Beth