legal ground
Article 34 of the Criminal Procedure Law: A criminal suspect has the right to entrust a defender from the day when he is interrogated for the first time by the investigation organ or takes compulsory measures. During the investigation, only lawyers can be entrusted as defenders. The defendant has the right to entrust a defender at any time. Article 35 of the Criminal Procedure Law: If a criminal suspect or defendant is a mental patient who is blind, deaf, dumb or has not completely lost the ability to identify or control his own behavior, and has not appointed a defender, the people's court, the people's procuratorate and the public security organ shall notify the legal aid institution to defend his appointed lawyer. If a criminal suspect or defendant may be sentenced to life imprisonment or death without entrusting a defender, the people's court, the people's procuratorate and the public security organ shall notify the legal aid institution to appoint a lawyer to defend him.