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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Feb. 14, 2023 MEDIA CONTACT: SF Public Defender’s Office | PubDef-MediaRelations@sfgov.org | Public relations officer Jessie Seyfer (415) 851-2212 **MEDIA ADVISORY** Asm. Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) to Introduce State Bill to Ease Financial Hardship of Jury Service, Increase Racial and Economic Diversity of Juries Be The Jury CA (AB 881) would expand San...Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 9, 2023 CONTACT: PubDef-MediaRelations@sfgov.org | PIO Valerie Ibarra (628)249-7946 **PRESS RELEASE** Re-Elected SF Public Defender Mano Raju Sworn In at Community Ceremony and Black History Month Celebration SAN FRANCISCO – Mano Raju was sworn in for a four-year term as San Francisco Public Defender at a community event celebrating Black History...Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Feb. 2, 2023 MEDIA CONTACT: PubDef-MediaRelations@sfgov.org | Valerie Ibarra (628) 249-7946 **PRESS RELEASE** Murder Charges Dismissed Against Men Implicated in Death of Famed Private Investigator Jack Palladino Defense uncovered witness credibility issues;Ongoing trial delays caused men to languish in jail for two years SAN FRANCISCO – Prosecutors this week dismissed all charges against...Read More