Written by Terence Lenamon and Reba Kennedy, this short ebook (30,000 word count) is offered to anyone interested in the American criminal justice system, particularly in the areas of capital punishment and the right to counsel provided the poor under federal constitutional mandate as well as various state statutes. It is provided as an economical, hands-on resource written with the non-lawyer reader in mind.

Written by the co-authors of the blog, “Terry Lenamon on the Death Penalty,” in answer to questions from readers about how the system of indigent defense in death penalty cases works in the real world – and why — the books gives a concise overview of the death penalty indigent defense crisis – where it originated, where it is today.

In a skipping stones approach to a complicated subject matter some areas necessarily aren’t addressed here and others are just touched upon. What this work provides is an overview with endnotes, resources lists, and hyperlinks, written to help non-lawyers learn more about indigent defense generally and its impact upon the death penalty today, specifically. Its intent is to provide a practical tool for those working toward finding real solutions to the tragic and mounting crisis of indigent defense funding in death penalty cases today.