SEIZE PROPERTY

Let me get this straight: Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin has two houses, and he is
declared indigent? Even though he owns two parcels of real estate, the
taxpayer is expected to pay for his lawyers? Maybe the state should seize
one or both of the residences to defray the costs of the state-furnished
attorneys. It's no wonder our criminal justice system is going broke.

Indigent defendants should be required to liquidate at least 50 percent of
their assets to help defray costs of their legal defense. Those defendants
who are truly destitute deserve assistance, but people who have the ability
to pay either partially or fully for their defense counsel should be
required to do so.

THOMAS E. BENNETT