News and Press Releases

San Francisco, CA – John M., 23 years old, was acquitted yesterday of robbery and aggravated assault with great bodily harm stemming from an incident in which he was accused of physically attacking and turning his dog on the complaining witness, Adam McFarland. Each count constituted a strike, and the charges carried a potential sentence of 16 years in prison....

San Francisco, CA – San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi will be honored alongside two San Francisco community leaders on Thursday, December 6 at the Fifth Annual Cheyenne Bell Leadership Awards Ceremony, hosted by The Center for Young Women’s Development.  Jeff Adachi, Tinisch Hollins and Ida McCray will be presented with an award recognizing their individual work benefiting young people...

San Francisco, CA – The San Francisco Public Defender’s Office is proud the announce the recipients of the 2007 Gideon Award: Nina Wilder, Eileen Burke and Christopher Gauger. The Gideon Award is presented annually by the Public Defender’s Office to members of the criminal defense bar, both public and private, in honor of their commitment to excellent criminal defense. The...

San Francisco, CA – Last Wednesday, Ronald Brown, a 43-year-old husband and father of three, was acquitted of two counts of resisting arrest and battery on a police officer. The charges stemmed from accusations that he interfered with his stepson’s arrest. On October 18, 2006, at 1:30am, Brown was awoken by a knock at his door. When he opened the door,...

SFPD Destroys Physical Evidence During Trial; DA Disregards Exculpatory Evidence San Francisco, CA – San Francisco resident Jerniece Menefee was acquitted of attempted murder and five additional felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon by a San Francisco jury last Friday afternoon. Menefee faced 34 years to life in prison. On April 11, 2005, the San Francisco Police Department...