News and Press Releases

On April 10, a San Francisco jury fully acquitted 38-year-old Pierre Constant of all charges after he spent more than 18 months in jail for an attack in the Tenderloin he did not commit. SFPD officers arrested the wrong person, violated police body-worn camera policies, and mishandled the photo lineup in this case. Prosecutors also failed to turn over key...

On Friday, April 10, the First District Court of Appeal issued another order staying enforcement of the $26,000 contempt sanction against San Francisco Public Defender Mano Raju imposed by San Francisco Superior Court Judge Harry Dorfman. 

SAN FRANCISCO—On April 8, 2026, the Court of Appeal stayed enforcement of the $26,000 contempt sanction against San Francisco Public Defender Mano Raju imposed by San Francisco Superior Court Judge Harry Dorfman. The stay is in effect pending further action by the Superior Court which must first rule on challenges brought by the Public Defender before the matter can move...

On March 27, a San Francisco court dismissed all charges against nudism activist Martin Moulton, 59, who was arrested after being choked by a park ranger during a January public vigil for Grateful Dead cofounder Bob Weir.

Today in SF Superior Court, numerous chief public defenders from across California stood with San Francisco Public Defender Mano Raju and his office, reflecting the nationwide efforts by public defenders to demand resources equal to those of prosecutors in criminal courts. At today’s hearing, SF Superior Court Judge Harry Dorfman sanctioned Raju by fining him $26,000—calculated as $1,000 for the...