FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 10, 2022 MEDIA CONTACT: Valerie Ibarra | Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org | (628) 249-7946 **PRESS RELEASE** Legal Action Urging SF Superior Court to Address Mass Trial Delays Moving to the CA Court of Appeal San Francisco’s Criminal Trial Backlog & Jail Conditions Remain a Serious Cause for Concern SAN FRANCISCO — Petitioners San Francisco...Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 27, 2022 MEDIA CONTACTS: San Francisco Public Defender’s Office: Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org, 628-249-7946 ACLU NorCal: press@aclunc.org, 415-621-2493 ACLU SoCal: communications@aclusocal.org, 626-755-4129 Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the SF Bay Area: slew@lccrsf.org, 415-272-8022 **PRESS RELEASE** Groundbreaking COVID-19 Settlement to Yield Protections for Immigrants Detained by ICE, Limit Re-Detention for People Released SAN FRANCISCO...Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 12, 2022 MEDIA CONTACT: SF Public Defender’s Office | Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org | (628)249-7946 **PRESS RELEASE** Charges Dismissed Against Man Whose Face was Fractured by SFPD During an Illegal Detention SAN FRANCISCO — Yesterday, a prosecutor dismissed all charges against Sergio Lugo who was falsely accused of assaulting an SFPD officer when plainclothes...Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 6, 2022 CONTACT: SF Public Defender’s Officer | Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org | (628)249-7946 **PRESS RELEASE** SF Jury Acquits Former Firefighter of Felony After Psychologist Escalated a Confrontation Over Paperwork Former firefighter spent two years trying to fight this case, including 410 days in jail SAN FRANCISCO – Yesterday, a San Francisco jury acquitted...Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 22, 2021 CONTACT: SF Public Defender’s Office | Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org | (628)249-7946 **PRESS RELEASE** SF Jury Acquits Father-to-Be Who Defended Himself Against Hospital Security SAN FRANCISCO – Today, a San Francisco jury acquitted Gione Edwards, 27, of assault and battery charges in a case from April 2020 where a hospital security guard...Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 14, 2021 MEDIA CONTACT: San Francisco Public Defender’s Office | Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org | (628)249-7946 **PRESS RELEASE** Charges Dismissed Against Motorist Brutalized by SFPD Officers After Accidental Collision in 2018 Police claimed the man’s motorcycle pinned an officer in a car door, but video surveillance being released today shows otherwise SAN FRANCISCO –...Read More
On December 2, 2021, Public Defenders presented at a hearing called by San Francisco Supervisor Hillary Ronen to discuss the urgent need for San Francisco Superior Court to open more courtrooms and prioritize criminal jury trials to address the growing backlog of trials that have passed their legal deadline. The backlog has also left hundreds...Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 23, 2021 CONTACT: SF Public Defender’s Office | Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org | (628)249-7946 **PRESS RELEASE** SF Jury Acquits Longtime Mission Resident Wrongly Accused of a Hit-and-Run SAN FRANCISCO — Last week, a San Francisco jury found 76-year-old Carlos Olivares Herrera, a longtime resident of the Mission District, not guilty of a hit and...Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 22, 2021 CONTACT: SF Public Defender’s Office | Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org | (628)249-7946 **PRESS RELEASE** SF Jury Acquits Elderly Man of Attempted Murder in Act of Self-Defense Against Ex-Wife Jury hangs heavily towards innocence on other charges SAN FRANCISCO – A San Francisco jury acquitted 81-year-old Damien Alvarez of attempted murder and all...Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 18, 2021 MEDIA CONTACT: SF Public Defender’s Office | Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org | (628)249-7946 **PRESS RELEASE** Judge Rules California Department of Corrections Inflicted Cruel and Unusual Punishment on Incarcerated People at San Quentin During COVID-19 Pandemic Historic ruling comes nearly 18 months after a COVID outbreak claimed 29 lives, but offers little relief...Read More
