“Star journalists have talked with judges, prosecutors, lawyers and defendants, studying dozens of hearing transcripts, court filings, jail records and arrest reports. We’ve traveled more than 1,000 miles to sit in rural and urban courtrooms, documenting how Missouri justice plays out. The conclusion is inescapable: The U.S. Constitution guarantees every criminal defendant the right to an effective lawyer, and Missouri violates that right every day.” Another great and important piece of local journalism, this time from the Kansas City Star: Defenseless: Missouri justice system violates the Constitution every day.