Public defender fired after comments on clients

EASTMAN - A lawyer who spent 20 years defending the poor in five middle Georgia counties has been relieved of his indigent defense contracts, court officials said Monday. <br> <br> Mark Straughan of McRae, his wife and father were paid $63,000 last year to defend poor people accused of crimes in Bleckley, Dodge, Montgomery, Telfair and Wheeler counties. <br> <br> In an interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Straughan said he assumed his clients were guilty. <br> <br> In an article about the public defender system in Georgia, the 44-year-old attorney also said most of his clients lie to him, and he expressed regret that he has often missed family time interviewing clients at the jail who were ``sorry as the day is long.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> The indigent defense committee of the Oconee Judicial Circuit said the Straughan contract has been terminated. <br> <br> ``Upon review of statements made to the press,&#39;&#39; Court Administrator Nolan Martin said, ``the committee unanimously concluded violations of both the indigent defense agreement and the mission of the indigent defense program has occurred.&#39;&#39;