Connecticut's first Black female chief public defender says 'it's an honor' to serve

Connecticut Public Radio | By John Henry Smith

Published July 7, 2022 at 5:48 PM EDT

Connecticut Chief Public Defender TaShun Bowden-Lewis

For the first time, Connecticut's chief public defender is a Black woman.

TaShun Bowden-Lewis officially began her job last Friday in the Division of Public Defender Services.

That’s the division that represents clients in more than 100,000 criminal, child protection, delinquency defense, and family support cases annually.

The Norwalk native joined "All Things Considered" to share her thoughts on achieving this milestone and on whether Connecticut public defenders have the money and the time to give defendants the representation they deserve.

She said she will emphasize getting Connecticut's public defenders out in the community to build trust.

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John Henry Smith

John Henry Smith is Connecticut Public’s host of All Things Considered, its flagship afternoon news program. He's proud to be a part of the team that won a regional Emmy Award for The Vote: A Connecticut Conversation. In his 21st year as a professional broadcaster, he’s covered both news and sports.

See stories by John Henry Smith

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