On June 27, 2022, the SF Examiner published this Op Ed – What happens when San Francisco and other cities drastically underfund public defender offices – by San Francisco Public Defender Mano Raju. Click through to read the full Opinion. Excerpt: As trusted advocates for our clients, public defenders are the best positioned out of...Read More

SF Public Defender Mano Raju Reacts to U.S. Supreme Court Abortion Ruling The recent Supreme Court ruling that in effect overturned Roe v. Wade is outrageous and unjust. States that choose to deny reproductive rights will cause terrible, and in some cases deadly, health outcomes. As public defenders who see the injustices and harms caused...Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 10, 2022 MEDIA CONTACT: SF Public Defender’s Office | Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org | (628)249-7946 **PRESS RELEASE** SF Man Acquitted in Death of Elderly Dogwalker SAN FRANCISCO – A San Francisco jury found Peter Rocha not guilty of murder and all felony charges in the accidental death of an elderly Glen Park resident, Leo...Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 8, 2022 MEDIA CONTACT: SF Public Defender’s Office | Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org | (628) 249-7946 **PRESS STATEMENT** SF Public Defender Mano Raju’s Statement After Recall of District Attorney Chesa Boudin “After the election results recalling District Attorney Chesa Boudin, the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office reiterates our commitment to advocating for system-impacted community...Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 27, 2022 MEDIA CONTACT: SF Public Defender’s Office | pubdef-mediarelations@sfgov.org | (628)249-7946 **PRESS RELEASE** San Francisco Public Defender’s Office Condemns SFPD Killing of Two Men, Including Former Client Rafael Mendoza SAN FRANCISCO – Last Thursday, members of the San Francisco Police Department shot and killed two men after being called to...Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 26, 2022 MEDIA CONTACT: SF Public Defender’s Office | Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org | (628)249-7946 **PRESS RELEASE** SF Jury Acquits on Assault Charge in a Trial That Came 7 Months Late for a Man Jailed for Nearly a Year SFPD took 9 months to turn over video that the jury used to reach its...Read More

For Immediate Release: May 11, 2022  Media Contacts: Emma Tozer, GLIDE Foundation, etozer@glide.org, (301) 383-3128 Valerie Ibarra, SF Public Defender’s Office, Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org, (628) 249-7946   ***PRESS RELEASE*** Coalition of 60 Civil Rights, Traffic Safety, and Community Groups Urging San Francisco Police Commission to End Racially-Biased Pretext Stops SAN FRANCISCO —  Today at 11:00 AM, the Coalition...Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  May 10, 2022 MEDIA CONTACTS: Valerie Ibarra, SF Public Defender’s Office, Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org, (628) 249-7946   Emma Tozer, GLIDE Foundation, etozer@glide.org, (301) 383-3128 **MEDIA ADVISORY**  City Leaders and Community Advocates To Hold Press Conference Urging an End to Racially-Biased Pretext Stops in San Francisco  SAN FRANCISCO — On Wednesday, May 11th at 11AM, the...Read More

SF Examiner Reports on the “Legal Logjam” in SF Courts Keeping Hundreds in Jail Past Trial Deadlines “If we’re going to prioritize anything as The City reopens, the most important thing to prioritize, according to our Constitution, should be people’s right to liberty,” [raju] said. The San Francisco Public Defender’s Office has been raising the...Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 20, 2022 MEDIA CONTACT: SF Public Defender’s Office | Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org | (628) 249-7946 **PRESS STATEMENT** Public Defenders Remember Peter G. Keane, Former Chief Assistant Public Defender for the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office Our sincere condolences go out to the family of Peter G. Keane, a well-loved and deeply respected former...Read More