News and Press Releases

Release some inmates to ease coronavirus threat in jail, California official says By Don Sweeny – March 11, 2020 – The Sacramento Bee Should jails free some inmates to help curb the spread of coronavirus? Yes, one California official says. Mano Raju, the San Francisco public defender, released a statement Tuesday urging sheriff’s officials to immediately release some prisoners, particularly...

SAN FRANCISCO — Today, in an effort to limit the spread of the coronavirus, the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office will begin filing motions to seek the immediate release of all clients being held pre-trial in San Francisco county jails who are at heightened risk of illness from the virus.  People at heightened risk for the virus include: people over 60,...

Public defender calls for measures to prevent a coronavirus outbreak in jail By Michael Barba – San Francisco Examiner As the number of coronavirus cases rises in San Francisco, Public Defender Manohar Raju has called on the sheriff to provide a full accounting of the steps being taken to prevent an outbreak from spreading among inmates at County Jail. Raju...

SAN FRANCISCO, MARCH 5, 2020 –  This morning, all charges were dismissed against Kenneth Ofigho, 31, a former employee of Edgewood Center, who has consistently maintained his innocence after being wrongly accused of inappropriately touching a minor in April 2019.  The charges were dismissed after a lengthy review of all the evidence, including the lack of any DNA evidence, and...

San Francisco– On election day, Tuesday March 3, federal immigration agents arrested a San Francisco resident in front of the courthouse steps of 850 Bryant Street as he was entering criminal court for a hearing. ICE agents acted without a judicial warrant and therefore in violation of state law. The San Francisco Public Defender and the District Attorney have condemned...