September 11, 2020 PRESS CONTACT: SF Public Defender’s Office – (628)249-7946 – Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org  SF Public Defender Mano Raju’s Statement Regarding the Arrest of SF Medical Examiner Lab Analyst   “The arrest of Mr. Volk casts another dark shadow on the credibility of the Medical Examiner’s Office, and I urge the District Attorney to immediately review the thousands of cases...Read More

July 6, 2020 Dear Governor Newsom, This is an immeasurably difficult time. With 2,419 incarcerated persons with active cases ofCOVID-19 in California prisons statewide and over 1,500 people who are incarcerated or work inSan Quentin testing positive, I am strongly urging you to exercise your authority to release peoplefrom California’s overcrowded prisons and to take...Read More

SF Public Defender Mano Raju Applauds SF Police Commission Budget Vote – Echoes Public Call for Fundamental Change  “I was very glad to see our San Francisco Police Commissioners unanimously voting to reject the police budget at 2:30am this morning after 9 hours of public comment, over 99 percent of which featured San Franciscans of...Read More

SF PUBLIC DEFENDER MANO RAJU CALLS FOR MAJOR REFORMS AFTER VIDEO SURFACES SHOWING SFPD OFFICER WITH KNEE ON TEENAGER’S NECK  The country is mourning after a Minneapolis police officer murdered George Floyd, an unarmed Black man accused of a nonviolent offense.  What happened to George Floyd is happening all over the United States with miserable...Read More

San Francisco Public Defender Statement on  First Confirmed Case of Coronavirus in San Francisco County Jail “While we knew it was nearly inevitable the virus would make its way into the jail, I am still deeply concerned to learn today that an incarcerated person in the San Francisco County Jail system tested positive for Coronavirus....Read More

San Francisco Public Defender Mano Raju’s Statement on the Board of Supervisors Legislation to Close CJ4 April 14, 2020 “After months of collaborating with Supervisor Fewer’s office and community partners on the legislation to close County Jail 4, I am proud that it will be introduced at the Board of Supervisors meeting today. County Jail...Read More

SF-Public-Defender-District-Attorney-Joint-Letter-to-Governor-Newsom-3.27.20-1DownloadRead More

All of our incarcerated clients – including our clients in immigration detention centers – continue to be at a heightened risk of being exposed to COVID-19, and my office is fighting every day for their health and safety. Immigration detention facilities are particularly at risk with regards to spread of infectious diseases because of congregate-style...Read More

San Francisco Public Defender, Mano Raju, sent the following letter to the Director of Juvenile Probation:Read More

Mano Raju, San Francisco Public Defender Brendon Woods, Alameda County Public DefenderRead More