Orrin Hatch: “Mr. Estrada's supporters are not limited to prominent and well-connected Democrats and Republicans. We heard during his…”

“Mr. Estrada's supporters are not limited to prominent and well-connected Democrats and Republicans. We heard during his confirmation proceedings or hearings about Mr. Estrada's pro bono efforts before the Supreme Court to overturn the conviction of death row inmate Tommy David Strickler. His cocounsel in that case, Barbara Hartung, wrote the committee that Mr. Estrada: . . . values highly the just and proper application of the law. Mr. Estrada's respect for the Constitution and the law may explain why he took on Mr. Strickler's case, which at the bottom concerned the fundamental fairness of a capital trial and death sentence. I should note that Mr. Estrada and I have widely divergent political views and disagree strongly on important issues. However, I am confident that Mr. Estrada will be a distinguished, fair and honest member of the federal appellate bench. Again, that is high praise from Barbara Hartung. Another letter in support of Mr. Estrada came from Leonard Joy, attorney in charge of the Legal Aid Society, Federal Defender Division in New York City, which is the community defender organization appointed to represent indigent defendants in Federal court at the trial and appellate levels. Mr. Joy, who frequently represented defendants whom Mr. Estrada prosecuted while he was an assistant U.S. Attorney, wrote that: He clearly was one of the smartest attorneys in the office which prides itself in attracting the best and the brightest.…”