News and Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 6, 2022 CONTACT: SF Public Defender’s Officer | Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org | (628)249-7946 **PRESS RELEASE** SF Jury Acquits Former Firefighter of Felony After Psychologist Escalated a Confrontation Over Paperwork Former firefighter spent two years trying to fight this case, including 410 days in jail  SAN FRANCISCO – Yesterday, a San Francisco jury acquitted former San Francisco firefighter Stephen...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 22, 2021 CONTACT: SF Public Defender’s Office | Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org | (628)249-7946 **PRESS RELEASE** SF Jury Acquits Father-to-Be Who Defended Himself Against Hospital Security SAN FRANCISCO – Today, a San Francisco jury acquitted Gione Edwards, 27, of assault and battery charges in a case from April 2020 where a hospital security guard tried to prevent him from...

December 14, 2021 We recognize that the Mayor and many of our elected leaders feel pressured to address issues that have been amplified in the press, but the Mayor’s proposal to massively expand police presence in San Francisco is regressive and harmful to those who are already underserved and overpoliced. It also cuts against the promises Mayor Breed made to...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 14, 2021 MEDIA CONTACT: San Francisco Public Defender’s Office | Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org | (628)249-7946 **PRESS RELEASE** Charges Dismissed Against Motorist Brutalized by SFPD Officers After Accidental Collision in 2018 Police claimed the man’s motorcycle pinned an officer in a car door, but video surveillance being released today shows otherwise SAN FRANCISCO – The trial of David Cordero...

On December 2, 2021, Public Defenders presented at a hearing called by San Francisco Supervisor Hillary Ronen to discuss the urgent need for San Francisco Superior Court to open more courtrooms and prioritize criminal jury trials to address the growing backlog of trials that have passed their legal deadline. The backlog has also left hundreds of accused people in jail...