DATE: March 15, 2021 MEDIA CONTACT: San Francisco Public Defender’s Office – PUBDEF-MediaRelations@sfgov.org – (628)249-7946 Statement by the Public Defenders Coalition for Immigrant Justice on the Introduction of the U.S. Citizenship Act, the American Dream and Promise Act, and the Farm Workforce Modernization Act Public Defenders Urge Federal Government to Stop Criminalizing Immigrants SAN FRANCISCO...Read More

DATE: March 2, 2021 CONTACT: SF Public Defender’s Office, Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org; (628)249-7946 Statement from Public Defender Mano Raju Opposing the Call for More Prosecutors to Address the Fentanyl Health Crisis “At a time when our communities are fighting for their very survival in the midst of the worst economic and public health crisis of this century,...Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 26, 2021 MEDIA CONTACT: SF Public Defender’s Office – pubdef-mediarelations@sfgov.org – (628)249-7946 **PRESS RELEASE** SF Public Defender Client Deemed Not Guilty; Jury is Hung 10-2 due to Evidence of a False Accusation SAN FRANCISCO – On February 24, 2021, a San Francisco jury returned a split decision weighing heavily in favor...Read More

DATE: February 18, 2021 MEDIA CONTACTS: SF Public Defender’s Office, 628.249-7946, Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org ACLU SoCal Communications & Media Advocacy: communications@aclusocal.org, 626-755-4129 Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area, Sam Lew, slew@lccrsf.org, 415-272-8022 Ninth Circuit Affirms Likely Constitutional Violation in Detention of Immigrants During Pandemic Rules ICE Neglected Immigrants; Upholds Order Establishing Process for Considering Release During Pandemic SAN...Read More

Date: February 16, 2021 / Media Contact: Valerie Ibarra, SF Public Defender’s Office (628)249-7946 Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org Adachi Project Releases “One Eleven Taylor”, a Documentary Short Depicting Dangerous Conditions at a GEO Group-run For-Profit Halfway House in San Francisco San Francisco (CA) — Today, the Adachi Project released its first film, One Eleven Taylor (During a Pandemic),...Read More

Date: February 4, 2021 / Media Contact: Valerie Ibarra (628)249-7946 Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org SF Public Defender Launches ‘The Adachi Project’ First-of-Its-Kind Media Initiative Spotlights Public Defenders and Underrepresented Perspectives of theCriminal Legal System in Tribute to Late-Public Defender and Filmmaker Jeff Adachi SAN FRANCISCO – Today, the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office launched “The Adachi Project”, a...Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 13, 2021 MEDIA CONTACTS: Valerie Ibarra – San Francisco Public Defender’s Office – (628)249-7946 – Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org; Lindsey Hortenstine – New Orleans Public Defender’s Office – (404)520-3087 – LHortenstine@opdla.org; Bob McGovern, Massachusetts Committee for Public Counsel Services, rmcgovern@publiccounsel.net;  Daniel Ball, Brooklyn Defender Services, dball@bds.org Public Defenders Nationwide Announce Plan for Immigration Justice, Provide...Read More

January 5, 2021 Media Contact: Public Information Officer – Valerie Ibarra – (628)249-7946 – Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org SF Public Defender Mano Raju’s Statement on the Arrest of Troy McAlister “Tragically, two lives were lost in our midst on New Year’s Eve. Our hearts go out to the families of Hanako Abe and Elizabeth Platt. My office represents...Read More

December 3, 2020 MEDIA CONTACTS: San Francisco Public Defender’s Office, Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org, (628)249-7946 ACLU SoCal Communications & Media Advocacy, communications@aclusocal.org, 626-755-4129  Court Slams ICE for Handling of COVID at Mesa Verde Blistering Order Cites Lies and ‘Deliberate Indifference’ to the Safety of Detainees SAN FRANCISCO — In a blistering federal court decision handed down today on the treatment of people...Read More

November 18, 2020 Press Contact: SF Public Defender’s Office – Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org – (628)249-7946 San Francisco Public Defender Launches “CopWatch SF” Database to Ensure Public Access to Available Police Records SAN FRANCISCO – This morning, the San Francisco Public Defender’s “CopWatch SF” database went live, making available hundreds of public records about police and sheriffs. What...Read More