News and Press Releases

Statement by San Francisco Elected Public Defender Mano Raju to the Special Committee on the Office of the Attorney General “Good Afternoon Honorable Assemblymembers and thank you for the opportunity to be part of this conversation. My name is Mano Raju, and I am the elected Public Defender of San Francisco.  I’m honored to represent the criminal defense community and...

Statement from San Francisco Public Defender Mano Raju on the Guilty Verdict of Derek Chauvin “I spent last night reflecting on all of the advocacy – in the streets, and in halls of power – that led to this moment.   I want to honor everyone who participated in the summer’s global protests that led to this prosecution.  I also...

Reporter Bob Egelko of the San Francisco Chronicle reported that, on April 12, 2021, a San Francisco jury determined that U.S. military veteran George Kennedy, 49, was not guilty of two felony assaults because he was suffering from a mental health crisis and was unaware of his actions. Deputy Public Defender Martina Avalos and her team presented expert testimony to...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 13, 2021 MEDIA CONTACT: SF Public Defender’s Office – Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org – (628)249-7946 ** PRESS RELEASE** SF Jury Acquits U.S. Military Veteran on Assault Charges San Francisco Public Defender Showed that their Client was Suffering a Mental Health Crisis and was Unconscious SAN FRANCISCO – On Monday, April 12, 2021, a San Francisco jury determined that U.S....

In this Op Ed published in The Nation, San Francisco Deputy Public Defender Carla Gomez, Hena Mansori of the Bronx Defenders, and Sophia Gurulé of Cook County Public Defenders penned these powerful critiques of President Biden’s “American Dream and Promise Act” otherwise known as HR 6. While the bill has many good measures, certain parts run the risk of repeating...