Legal Question in Criminal Law in California

Your brother definitely needs a lawyer. If he can't afford one, the court will appoint either a public defender or another lawyer working at public expense. Most of these lawyers are quite good at what they do, but they're overworked and can't put enough time into their cases. Private attorneys can usually devote a lot more time to each case, so hiring one will probably help your brother. But don't hire just anyone. Some private attorneys aren't very good, while some are more expensive than others with the same skills.

Good luck.