FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 20, 2023CONTACT: San Francisco Public Defender PIO Valerie Ibarra | (628) 249-7946 | PubDef-MediaRelations@sfgov.org **MEDIA ADVISORY** SF Public Defender’s Office Continues “Summer Sit-Ins” to Draw Attention to Worsening Trial Backlog; Seventh in Series to Focus on Legal Challenges to the Backlog NOTE SPECIAL LOCATION: Civic Center Courthouse, 400 McAllister St. More than 1,100 trials...Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 16, 2023MEDIA CONTACTS: Jessie Seyfer, SF Public Defender’s Office | (415) 851-2212 | PubDef-MediaRelations@sfgov.org Sepi Esfahlani, M Strategic Communications | (714) 746-7090 | se@m-consultants.net S.F. Implements New State Law Allowing Thousands of Previously Ineligible Individuals to Expunge Conviction Records SF Supervisors, Public Defender, State’s Leading Advocates for Community Safety Spoke at...Read More
On April 27, 2023, the California State Assembly Public Safety Committee is holding a Special Session to discuss this year’s state bills related to fentanyl. The San Francisco Public Defender’s Office joins a coalition of 35+ statewide organizations and agencies that have signed onto a letter to the Committee Members urging them to reject these...Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 26, 2023MEDIA CONTACT: SF Public Defender’s Office | PubDef-MediaRelations@sfgov.org | Jessie.Seyfer@sfgov.org | (415) 851-2212 **PRESS STATEMENT** San Francisco Public Defender’s Office Urges District Attorney to Drop Charges Against Unhoused Man Who Acted in Self-Defense When Bear Sprayed Evidence shows complaining witness initiated altercation; Video evidence indicates other similar attacks against unhoused...Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 26, 2023MEDIA CONTACT: SF Public Defender’s Office | PubDef-MediaRelations@sfgov.org | Jessie.Seyfer@sfgov.org | (415) 851-2212 Civil Rights Corps | Cheryl Bonacci | cheryl@civilrightscorps.org | 818-339-6928 **PRESS RELEASE** Civil Rights Corps, San Francisco Public Defender Ask California Supreme Court to Review Challenge to S.F. Court Trial Backlog Nearly 1,000 trials are delayed past...Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 20, 2023 MEDIA CONTACT: PubDef-MediaRelations@sfgov.org | PIO Valerie Ibarra | (628) 249-7946 **PRESS RELEASE** SF Public Defender Co-Sponsoring State Bills to Increase Fairness and Disrupt Cycles of Harm in Our Criminal Legal System Bill package seeks to increase fairness in jury trials and outcomes of criminal legal proceedings for youth, immigrants,...Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 7, 2023 MEDIA CONTACT: PubDef-MediaRelations@sfgov.org | (628) 249-7946 **PRESS RELEASE** Second SF Jury Acquits Man Who Gave False Murder Confession to Escape Brutal Florida Prison Conditions SAN FRANCISCO – After a second two-month trial, a San Francisco jury acquitted Roy Lacy on April 6th in connection with a cold case murder...Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 16, 2023 MEDIA CONTACT: PubDef-MediaRelations@sfgov.org | Jessie Seyfer (415) 851-2212 **PRESS STATEMENT** Public Defenders Urge Legislature to Stop Governor from Cutting Successful Resentencing Program SAN FRANCISCO, OAKLAND — Thousands of people who are eligible for release back to their families and communities will remain locked in California prisons if the Legislature approves Gov....Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 1, 2023 MEDIA CONTACT: PubDef-MediaRelations@sfgov.org | Valerie Ibarra, PIO (628) 249-7946 **PRESS RELEASE** San Francisco Jury Acquits Man Who Defended Himself and Pregnant Girlfriend SAN FRANCISCO – On Monday, Feb. 27, a jury acquitted Mario Ramirez of attempted murder and related charges, finding that Ramirez acted in self-defense and in defense...Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Feb. 15, 2023 MEDIA CONTACT: SF Public Defender’s Office | PubDef-MediaRelations@sfgov.org; | (415) 851-2212 **PRESS RELEASE** Asm. Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) Introduces State Bill to Ease Financial Hardship of Jury Service, Increase Racial and Economic Diversity of Juries AB 881, known as Be The Jury California, would expand San Francisco’s successful Be The Jury...Read More