why not let the taxpayers cover your defense?

Thats how you keep money, by not spending it. On anything.

"If you CANNOT AFFORD an attorney..."

Someone else holds his power of attorney. It isn’t his house and the things he stole were frivolous. I hate clickbait.

The phrasing is interesting, "Living in" not "Living in his" or "His home."

So does this guy own the property? Does their presence in this property indicate something about their overall financial wellbeing?

"I can only pay you in gum."

The article says the owner is "a woman with a Pacific Grove, Calif. mailing address", so no, this guy doesn't own the property.

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Public defenders are perfectly capable attorneys, and I'm quite certain that one will be able to mount a defense involving an elderly person with diminished capacity.

If you're out here claiming he shouldn't have access to a public defender because he has money, you're maximum clown. Once we start picking and choosing who gets that, you're probably not going to like how it shakes out. Let's just let everyone have access to these perfectly serviceable attorneys who are woefully underpaid compared to the other options that are usually available to them.

Reddit. Clickbait. 🤷

Italian reporter for a tiktok news outlet, huh

and he shoplifted olay cremes

I'm guessing dementia, from the staring eyes.