Karen Wilkes Receives Clarence Darrow Courage Award

Mike Mears, GPDSC Director (left) congratulates Karen Wilkes on receiving the Clarence Darrow Courage award.

Conflict Public Defender Karen Wilkes was recently awarded the Clarence Darrow Courage Award.  This award is given each year on behalf of the Circuit Public Defenders to a public defender who has exemplified the qualities and courage of Clarence Darrow in the representation of an indigent person. 

Karen was given the award this year for her courageous representation of Mr. Nicholas Souder in a trial in the Griffin Judicial Circuit.  Mr. Souder had been in prison for six years  after being forced to plead guilty, without a lawyer, to the charge of aggravated assault.  He asked for an attorney six years ago but was told by the judge that if he went to trial he would be sentenced to prison for 45 years.  Mr. Souder, at that time an eighteen year old with a sixth grade education, pled guilty without an attorney being appointed to represent him.  After six years in prison he was granted a new trial before the same judge who had taken his unrepresented plea the first time.  Karen entered an appearance on behalf of Mr. Souder on October 1, 2005 and was required to try the case less than three weeks later.  She fearlessly took the case to a jury and after 45 minutes of deliberation, the jurors acquitted Mr. Souder of all charges and he walked out of the courtroom a free person.

Karen’s courage and dedication to her client’s case should be an inspiration to all public defenders in Georgia.

Read the press release>>