The Davis Vanguard reported: Efforts to Release Incarcerated from San Quentin Move Forward in Marin County Superior Court. The San Francisco Public Defender’s Office is part of a team of regional attorneys representing over 300 individual petitioners from San Quentin in a consolidated case of habeas corpus in Marin County Superior Court. “If the state...Read More

NBC News report from Jacob Ward – Coronavirus cases, deaths at San Quentin prison blamed on mismanagement – interviewed the sister of an incarcerated man at San Quentin seeking information from CDCR, and advocates describing the dangerous and challenging conditions for people in San Quentin during a massive outbreak of COVID-19. He also interviewed Jacque...Read More

Effort to Release People Incarcerated at San Quentin Moves Forward In Marin County Superior Court  Habeas petitions allege that California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation actions constitute “cruel and unusual punishment” as decisions led to an explosive and deadly Covid-19 outbreak at San Quentin  SAN FRANCISCO – A Marin County Superior Court judge has ordered the...Read More

The San Francisco Examiner published a pledge signed by sixteen current and former elected officials, including San Francisco Public Defender Mano Raju: City leaders pledge to reject SFPOA support. The leaders also urged other officials and candidates to reject the support of the SF Police Officers’ Association. “The poa must acknowledge and publicly apologize for...Read More

Sarah Holder of the Bloomberg CityLab published The Imprisoners’ Dilemma – San Quentin’s deadly Covid-19 outbreak has intensified a national debate over releasing inmates and dramatically reducing the U.S. prison population — for good. In it, she notes the efforts of the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office to urge Governor Newsom to reduce the state’s prison population. “While we have...Read More

Nuala Bishari reported for SF Weekly: Former Prisoner Fights for Inmates’ Release – featuring Steph Liebb, a paralegal in the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office who was formerly incarcerated at San Quentin. Mr. Liebb now works on the post-conviction relief team offering assistance to people in California prisons with convictions from San Francisco who may...Read More

ABC 7 News reported: In 1st ruling of its kind, SF judge declares witnesses will wear transparent face masks in court. Deputy Public Defender, Sierra Villaran, successfully argued the importance of being able to see facial expressions during the first jury trial San Francisco Superior Court after the pandemic interrupted the court schedule in March...Read More

This Op Ed – Gov. Newsom must release more people from prisons to protect Californians and save lives – was co-authored by Danica Rodarmel, the statewide policy director of the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office, and James King, the State Campaigner at the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights who was formerly incarcerated inside San...Read More

Broad Coalition of Legal and Medical Experts Urge SF Courts to Restore ‘Zero Bail’ Amid Growing Number of COVID-19 Cases in SF Jails  SAN FRANCISCO – San Francisco County jail has seen a 40% increase in positive COVID-19 cases since June 18, 2020.  This surge prompted a broad coalition – including the Bar Association of San...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