Gov. Nixon appoints three members to Missouri State Public Defender Commission

Governor Jay Nixon appointed three new members to the Public Defender Commission Friday.

The appointees are Oliver Glenn Boyer of Crystal City, Thomas Neer of Defiance and James Sievers of Des Peres. The commission is made up of seven members and is tasked with making rules needed for the administration of the public defender system. The panel is also responsible for the hiring of the state public defender director.

The appointees, who will subject to confirmation by the Missouri Senate, may start serving immediately.

“I believe these new members will help the Public Defender Commission return to its focus of providing proper legal representation to indigent Missourians,”Governor Nixon said.

On Saturday, the state’s Public Defender System said it will be the first time in seven years the Commission has been staffed at full capacity. Officials said the commission only had two members until 2014.

“Missouri’s Public Defender System was not a high priority of the Governor’s office for quite some time. We are hoping that Governor Nixon’s renewed interest in the system, as illustrated by finally making these three appointments, will not end here,” said Riley Bock, Chair of the Public Defender Commission.

The move comes a day after a Cole County judge ruled the head of the public defender’s office cannot appoint Nixon to work a criminal case. You can read more about that ruling here.