The Public Defender's Justice Summit brought together experts on wrongful convictions, prosecutorial misconduct and other problems in the justice system. The event also addressed the negative image of criminal defense attorneys.
The lawyer who successfully defended actor Robert Blake on murder charges put part of the blame on his fellow attorney's.
"Too many lawyers are attracted by the desire for media attention and unfortunately, many of those lawyers contribute to the negative image the public has about us," criminal defense attorney Gerald Schwartzbach said.
Summit organizers say criminal defense attorneys are the last line of defense for those in our society at risk of oppression.
The event comes amid a scandal at the San Francisco police crime lab and allegations that prosecutors failed to disclose the convictions and misconduct of police officers.
