Public funds should go elsewhere

Really? Five million dollars in public funds to pay for defense costs in a single criminal case that’s not half over [“Death penalty thrown out in slayings,” page one, Feb. 1]?

I believe in providing criminal defendants legal representation, but that’s outrageous. The need to educate our children and provide food and shelter to the destitute trump any public multimillion-dollar handout for one or two criminal defendants. Get real.

--Jon G. Schneidler, Suquamish