The Southern Center for Human Rights

The Southern Center for Human Rights provides legal representation to people facing the death penalty, challenges human rights violations in prisons and jails, seeks through litigation and advocacy to improve legal representation for poor people accused of crimes, and advocates for criminal justice system reforms on behalf of those affected by the system in the Southern United States. The Center is a non-profit, public interest organization. It depends on generous donations from individuals to carry on its work. It receives no government funding.

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Recent Updates
  • SCHR President and Senior Counsel Speaks to the Federal Role in Improving Indigent Defense
    Date of Publication: 
    07/23/2010
    Author: 
    Southern Center for Human Rights

    On June 19, Southern Center for Human Rights' President and Senior Counsel, Stephen Bright participated in a panel discussion entitled The Federal Role in Improving Indigent Criminal Defense at the 2010 American Constitution Society convention.  Judge Paul L. Friedman, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia moderated the panel, which included in addition to Bright; Laurence H. Tribe, Senior Counselor for Access to Justice, U.S.

  • US Supreme Court Review Sought of Denial of Right to Counsel in Georgia Capital Case
    Date of Publication: 
    07/23/2010
    Author: 
    Southern Center for Human Rights

    ATLANTA, GA, – The Center's lawyers have asked the US Supreme Court to review the Georgia Supreme Court's 4-3 decision of March 25, 2010, holding that the trial judge could remove Jamie Ryan Weis' lawyers - on motion by the district attorney - despite an ongoing attorney-client relationship of over a year in response to Georgia’s failure to funds his legal representation. Read more.

  • SCHR Launches The Damon Lee Project for Accountability and Transparency in the Criminal Justice System
    Date of Publication: 
    07/22/2010
    Author: 
    Southern Center for Human Rights

    ATLANTA -- The Southern Center for Human Rights (SCHR) today announced the launch of The Damon Lee Project for Accountability and Transparency in the Criminal Justice System, an innovative program that will provide focus and structure for its ongoing work in bringing more transparency and accountability to the operation of government agencies, particularly prisons, jails and law enforcement. SCHR Senior Attorney Sarah Geraghty has been appointed project director.  

  • Fletcher: Indigent Defense is a Matter of Fulfilling Constitutional Requirements
    Publication: 
    Rome News-Tribune
    Date of Publication: 
    07/17/2010
    Author: 
    Lydia Senn

    Former Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Norman Fletcher said his biggest fear for Georgia could quickly become a reality if something is not done soon to fix the state’s declining indigent defense system.

    “Clearly the state has an obligation under the Sixth Amendment to provide counsel to those who are indigent. The defense sys-

    tem is underfunded and put on the backs of 169 counties,” said Fletcher, who lives in Rome.

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