KQED’s “Forum,” with Michael Krasny, takes up the issue of the mentally ill in the criminal justice system. “Forum” looks at new programs designed to help police and the courts avoid dangerous confrontations with the mentally ill. These programs are designed to steer the mentally ill toward treatment, instead of a life of incarceration. Visit...Read More
Omeed Aziz Popal, 31, was found not guilty by reason of insanity by Judge Carol Yaggy today, at the Hall of Justice, 850 Bryant Street. Popal was facing attempted murder charges in connection with a series of alleged hit-and-run incidents involving sixteen people in San Francisco on August 29, 2006.Read More
The recent news stories criticizing the city's juvenile probation department for sending undocumented children home instead of handing them over to the federal immigration authorities has ignited a firestorm of negative attacks. However, the stories missed a key fact: the city's practice of transporting youth home was enacted with the full knowledge and cooperation of...Read More
The felony case against DeAndre Barney was dismissed on July 10, 2008 after he was proven factually innocent of armed robbery based on San Francisco community safety camera evidence. Video footage showed that the car Barney was driving was not the getaway car, as alleged by police. Barney was represented by Deputy Public Defender Randall...Read More
The Daily Journal has selected Teresa Caffese, Chief Attorney of the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office, as one of California’s Top 75 Women Litigators.Read More
Omeed Aziz Popal, 30, pled not guilty by reason of insanity today at the Hall of Justice, 850 Bryant Street. Popal is facing attempted murder charges in connection with a series of alleged hit-and-run incidents that injured sixteen people in San Francisco on August 29, 2006.Read More
Jon Osaki, Executive Director of the Japanese Community Youth Council (JCYC), will receive the 2008 Juvenile Justice "Hero" award for his outstanding work supporting youth in San Francisco. The award will be presented by Public Defender Jeff Adachi at the Fifth Annual Juvenile Justice Summit: "Less Talk, More Action: Solutions for Safe Schools and Safe...Read More
The Fifth Annual Juvenile Justice Summit: "Less Talk, More Action: Solutions for Safe Schools and Safe Streets," will be held on Wednesday, May 14, 2008, at the San Francisco Public Library, Koret Auditorium, 100 Larkin Street. Hosted annually by the Public Defender’s Office since 2004, the summit will draw over 250 youth, parents and city...Read More
Genetic evidence is widely viewed as ironclad. In ‘cold hit’ cases, however, the truth is often elusive. San Francisco Deputy Public Defender Kwixuan H. Maloof defended John Puckett in his trial for murder. Puckett insisted he didn’t kill the victim. According to the defense, although DNA at the crime scene happened to match his, it belonged...Read More
