Local attorneys are outraged at what they believe to be not only a violation of Florida law but also inmates’ constitutional right to counsel.

In the past week, Escambia County corrections officials have operated in violation of Florida law by not allowing attorneys to meet with inmates being housed at several county facilities, a number of local defense attorneys said Saturday.

Criminal defense attorney James Barnes said he was turned away from the Escambia County Road Prison in Cantonment when he and personal injury lawyer Kevin Hausfeld went to visit several inmates Saturday.

“In all the years I’ve done this, when you go to the jail you tell them who you want to see and you get in, they don’t question you at all,” Barnes said. “You have to show that you’re a lawyer, but that’s it. How do I get to be the attorney of record if I can’t talk to them?”

Several attorneys told the News Journal they were turned away from county facilities by corrections staff who said they were instructed to allow only “attorneys of record” to visit inmates. Read More…