News and Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 28, 2023 MEDIA CONTACT: PubDef-MediaRelations@sfgov.org | PIO Valerie Ibarra (628)249-7946  **PRESS RELEASE** SF Jury Acquits Legally Blind Man Who Chose Jail to Get a Faster Misdemeanor Trial Amid a backlog of 1,100 overdue trials in SF Superior Court, strict pretrial conditions can hinder the lives of those awaiting trial SAN FRANCISCO – A San Francisco jury...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 20, 2023CONTACT: San Francisco Public Defender PIO Valerie Ibarra | (628) 249-7946 | PubDef-MediaRelations@sfgov.org   **MEDIA ADVISORY** SF Public Defender’s Office Continues “Summer Sit-Ins” to Draw Attention to Worsening Trial Backlog; Seventh in Series to Focus on Legal Challenges to the Backlog NOTE SPECIAL LOCATION: Civic Center Courthouse, 400 McAllister St. More than 1,100 trials are delayed past their Constitutionally...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  May 16, 2023MEDIA CONTACTS:  Jessie Seyfer, SF Public Defender’s Office | (415) 851-2212 | PubDef-MediaRelations@sfgov.org   Sepi Esfahlani, M Strategic Communications | (714) 746-7090 | se@m-consultants.net S.F. Implements New State Law Allowing Thousands of Previously Ineligible Individuals to Expunge Conviction Records SF Supervisors, Public Defender, State’s Leading Advocates for Community Safety Spoke at Press Conference; Clean Slate Clinic...

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 bills, invest in harm reduction,...

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 individuals occurred in same area...