PUBLIC DEFENDERS WALK OUT OF COURTROOM BECAUSE OF HEALTH CONCERNS

Two attorneys with the 13th Judicial Circuit Public Defender's Office
walked out of court on Thursday after one complained of feeling sick. The
attorneys believe at least one source of the poor air quality comes from
meth fumes brought into the courtroom on the clothes of several defendants
appearing in court.

"Thursday afternoon they did inform me that one of them - Ms. Lyons - was
feeling sick and that they were leaving," General Sessions Court Judge
Steven Douglas said. As a result, some cases on the docket had to be continued.

Last week Public Defender David Brady announced that he had given two of
his assistants, Cindy Lyons and Joe Fendley, instructions that if they feel
the symptoms again they are to go to the hospital to be checked out.

"I am treating it as a situation of employees having to work in a hazardous
environment, and I'm taking it seriously," Brady said.

The public defenders are not the only persons complaining about the air
quality in the courtroom. Douglas' secretary and clerks in the Circuit
Court Clerk's Office have complained of a variety of symptoms, ranging from
headaches, burning eyes, nose, mouth and skin and nausea.

The symptoms have caused disorientation and an inability to concentrate on
their work.

The public defenders left the courtroom as tests on the air quality of the
courtroom were being conducted. Douglas said the company conducting the
tests, Environmental Consulting and Testing of Knoxville, have told him
that the presence of a host of odors and their sources can be detected
including meth.

It was the second test conducted on the courtroom and other tests are planned.

"There is definitely a problem," said Douglas. "I don't know if it is a
problem with a sick building, sewer gas, meth on the clothes of some
defendants or a combination of things."

Poor ventilation is being blamed for at least part of the problem. The
courtroom does not have a fresh air intake and heating and cooling units
simply recirculate the stale air that exists in the room. Improving
ventilation for the courtroom might help the situation.

But Douglas noted that the problem also existed in the Justice Center
building when General Sessions Court was moved to that facility, causing
the judge to conclude that at least part of the problem is meth odors
coming from the clothes of some defendants.