FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 15, 2022 MEDIA CONTACT: San Francisco Public Defender’s Office | Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org | (628)249-7946 **PRESS RELEASE** SF Jury Acquits Longtime Violence Prevention Activist of DUI Charges SAN FRANCISCO – Last week, a San Francisco jury took less than an hour to acquit Richard Isom of a misdemeanor charge of DUI. Deputy Public...Read More

On Monday, February 14, 2022, the Public Defender’s Office held an online community presentation to share our Departmental Budget Priorities for FY 2022-2023. Learn about our values, mission, and priorities for the coming fiscal year 2022-2023. Transformative Justice, Racial Equity, Community Health Public Defender Mano Raju presented our department’s budget priorities at a community event...Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 10, 2022 MEDIA CONTACT: Valerie Ibarra | Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org | (628) 249-7946 **PRESS RELEASE** Legal Action Urging SF Superior Court to Address Mass Trial Delays Moving to the CA Court of Appeal San Francisco’s Criminal Trial Backlog & Jail Conditions Remain a Serious Cause for Concern SAN FRANCISCO — Petitioners San Francisco...Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 3, 2022 MEDIA CONTACT: Valerie Ibarra | PubDef-MediaRelations@sfgov.org | (628)249-7946 **PRESS STATEMENT** San Francisco Public Defender Mano Raju Urges Police Commission to Preserve Independent Oversight of SFPD “Rarely do officers across the nation face criminal charges for on-duty violence, and San Francisco is no exception.  I am disappointed that yesterday, SFPD...Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 12, 2022  MEDIA CONTACT: SF Public Defender’s Office | Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org | (628)249-7946 **PRESS RELEASE** Charges Dismissed Against Man Whose Face was Fractured by SFPD During an Illegal Detention SAN FRANCISCO — Yesterday, a prosecutor dismissed all charges against Sergio Lugo who was falsely accused of assaulting an SFPD officer when plainclothes...Read More

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...Read More

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...Read More

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...Read More

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 –...Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 22, 2021 CONTACT: SF Public Defender’s Office | Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org | (628)249-7946 **PRESS RELEASE** SF Jury Acquits Elderly Man of Attempted Murder in Act of Self-Defense Against Ex-Wife Jury hangs heavily towards innocence on other charges SAN FRANCISCO – A San Francisco jury acquitted 81-year-old Damien Alvarez of attempted murder and all...Read More