In a criminal case, the state, through a prosecutor, initiates the suit, while in a civil case the victim brings the suit. Persons convicted of a crime may be incarcerated, fined, or both. Criminal defense attorneys represent clients who have been accused of committing a crime, and defend their rights at each stage of a misdemeanor or felony case -- from an arrest to an appeal after conviction. Criminal defense attorneys may be hired privately or provided by the government (called "public defenders").
Rock Springs is a city in Sweetwater County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 18,708 at the 2000 census. Rock Springs is the principal city of the Rock Springs micropolitan statistical area, which has a population of 37,975. One of the worst race riots in American history, known as the Rock Springs Massacre, occurred among miners working near Rock Springs on September 2, 1885. As of 2006, there are still remains of the old coal mining towns outside of Rock Springs, Wyoming. Rock Springs was featured on "60 Minutes" in 1970, due to corruption within the Police Department and City Government. A follow up was filmed 20 years later for the show "City Confidential". The episode was named "Rock Springs: Deadly Draw in the Wild West". Rock Springs is also home to Western Wyoming Community College, and Wyoming's Big Show a yearly event featuring a carnival and concerts, held at the Sweetwater County Events Complex. Rock Springs is located in an energy-rich region that boasts a large number of oil and natural gas wells.