The Controversial Case Of The Death Penalty In Puerto Rico

The Controversial Case of the Death Penalty in Puerto Rico A Legal Perspective from the Federal District Court with Federal Public Defender Joseph C. Laws, Jr.

© Scott Langley / Langley Creations Photography

José V. Toledo U.S. Post Office and Courthouse Viejo San Juan, Puerto Rico

T UESDAY N OVEMBER 3, 2009 A NFITEATRO DE E NFERMERÍA 3:30-5:00 P . M . S PONSORED

BY THE D EPARTMENT OF E NGLISH AND

INGL 3103/3104 (I NTERMEDIATE W RITING I F OR

AND

II)

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT : M ARY. SEFRANEK@ UPR . EDU

Joseph C. Laws, Jr. is the Federal Public Defender for the District of Puerto Rico where he handles and coordinates the litigation of over 800 criminal cases assigned to his office, including serious felonies like capital (death penalty) cases. Prior to becoming the Federal Public Defender for the District of Puerto Rico, Laws was in private practice for over a decade primarily handling federal criminal cases. Previous professional experience also includes work as Assistant Federal Public Defender, Assistant District Attorney for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (Justice Department), and as the Chief Lawyer for the Legal Aid Society of Puerto Rico. His academic credentials include a Bachelor of Arts (Political Science) from the Interamerican University, a Juris Doctor (Criminal Law) from the University of Puerto Rico, and a Master of Laws (Law, Psychiatry, and Criminology) from George Washington University (Washington, D.C.)