FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 4, 2023 MEDIA CONTACT: SF Public Defender’s Office | Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org | (628) 249-7946 **PRESS RELEASE** SF Leaders Urge Gov. Newsom to Sign AB 881 to Increase Juror Pay at Sneak Preview of Documentary “Judging Juries”   AB 881, Be The Jury CA (Ting), is on the governor’s desk SAN FRANCISCO — Last...Read More

The College Pathway Project will connect system-impacted clients with college opportunities through partnerships with local colleges A recording of this press conference is available here: https://youtu.be/6kz6ksnqdhM?si=V43_fQL6Y5P-NXrp FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sept. 6, 2023CONTACT: SF Public Defender Public Relations Officer Jessie Seyfer | (415) 851-2212 | PubDef-MediaRelations@sfgov.org   **PRESS RELEASE** SAN FRANCISCO — Today, as students across the country...Read More

On Monday, June 26, prosecutors began dismissing felony drug cases, but public defenders did not see it coming. Prosecutors were not disclosing the reason, but it seemed to have something to do with veteran SFPD officer Christina Hayes, who has been the arresting officer, executor of warrants, and testifying witness in countless drug cases. Prosecutors...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

Sam Levin of The Guardian interviewed Salesh “Sal” Prasad, a client of our Immigration Defense Unit, who is an LGBTQ artist and activist who was granted parole after transforming his life in prison, but never got a taste of his hard-earned freedom because prison officials transferred him directly into ICE custody. He’s spent the last...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:  September 21, 2021  CONTACT: San Francisco Public Defender’s Office | Yessica Gonzalez | yessica.gonzalez@sfgov.org | (323) 379-2032;  Valerie Ibarra | valerie.ibarra@sfgov.org | (628) 249-7946 ** PRESS RELEASE**  DOZENS RALLY OUTSIDE THE HALL OF JUSTICE DENOUNCING COURT VIOLATIONS OF PEOPLE’S SPEEDY TRIAL RIGHTS  San Francisco Public Defender Mano Raju and four others filed...Read More

On September 12, 2021, Attorneys Matt Gonzalez and Francisco Ugarte published an article on Medium titled “An Open Letter to the Biden Administration: It’s time to drop charges against José Ines García Zárate” whom they represented in state court when he was charged and acquitted of the murder of Kate Steinle. The new editorial argues...Read More

On August 12, 2021, SF Weekly featured as its cover story – Jury-Mandering: San Francisco may soon pilot a new program aimed at balancing the scales of justice by increasing juror diveristy – with artwork by Olivia Wise. The in-depth article “Balancing the Scales of Justice” by Lily Sinkovitz discusses our Be the Jury pilot...Read More

DATE: May 10, 2021 MEDIA CONTACT: San Francisco Public Defender’s Office – Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org – (628)249-7946 **MEDIA ADVISORY** San Quentin COVID-19 Outbreak on Trial: Hearing to Start May 17 Weeks of Evidence and Testimony Expected WHAT: An evidentiary hearing in the case against San Quentin State Prison and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR)...Read More