FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 18, 2024PRESS CONTACT: Rabiah Alicia Burks, r.burks@nlada.org, (202) 452-0620 Public Defense Chiefs Push Back on Misleading Crime NarrativesThat Are Driving Policy This Election YearSpeaking at Gideon Day press briefing, chiefs encourage reporters to speak to public defenders for better-informed stories, and discuss ways public defenders promote community safety WASHINGTON — Chief...Read More
**MEDIA ADVISORY** The State of Public Defense During a Crime-Focused Election Year On Gideon Day, public defense chiefs from across the U.S. will hold a virtual press briefing to commemorate the establishment of an accused person’s right to counsel and to challenge misleading narratives about crime WHAT: Public Defender chiefs from across the United States...Read More
The San Francisco Public Defender’s Office stands by Deputy Public Defender Ilona Yañez, who was the subject of a recent misleading and erroneous report by ABC7 News’s Dan Noyes. The report omitted several key facts, misled viewers about the law and unfairly sought to impugn Ms. Yañez’s reputation. In publishing the story, ABC 7 News...Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 23.2024 MEDIA CONTACT: PDR-MediaRelations@sfgov.org **PRESS RELEASE** Coalition to End Biased Stops Applauds SF Police Commission Vote to Implement Policy to Curb Racially-Biased Police Stops SAN FRANCISCO – On Wednesday night, the San Francisco Police Commission voted to enact an historic policy (Department General Order 9.07) to curb SFPD’s use of racially-biased pretext stops. This...Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 30, 2024 MEDIA CONTACT: PDR-MediaRelations@sfgov.org **PRESS RELEASE** SF Jury Acquits Man Wrongly Accused of Commercial Burglary and Possession of Stolen Property SAN FRANCISCO – On Jan. 24, a San Francisco jury found David Wesser, 37, not guilty of felony charges related to a commercial burglary that took place in July. Deputy...Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 17, 2024 MEDIA CONTACT: PDR-MediaRelations@sfgov.org **PRESS RELEASE** SF Jury Acquits Young Black Man Who Was Racially Profiled and Falsely Accused SAN FRANCISCO – On Jan. 11, a San Francisco jury acquitted Trevon Morgan, 21, after just 45 minutes of deliberations, of a baseless felony charge of attempted robbery of a man’s...Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 22, 2023 MEDIA CONTACT: PDR-MediaRelations@sfgov.org | Valerie Ibarra, PIO (628)249-7946 **PRESS RELEASE** SF Jury Acquits Unhoused Man Who Defended Himself Against Death Threats and Bear Spray Attack by Marina District Resident SAN FRANCISCO – A San Francisco jury found Garret Doty, 25, not guilty of all three felony assault and battery...Read More
San Francisco Public Defender’s Office Files Racial Justice Act Claim in Police Shooting Case SFPD confronted Jose Corvera, who was riding a bike while pushing another bike, based on racial bias; Police carried out dangerous, unnecessary shootout SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco Public Defender’s Office is pursuing a Racial Justice Act (RJA) claim on...Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Nov. 14, 2023MEDIA CONTACT: SF Public Defender’s Office | PubDef-MediaRelations@sfgov.org | jessie.seyfer@sfgov.org | (415) 851-2212 **PRESS RELEASE** Public Defenders Across Calif. Urge State Supreme Court to Uphold its 2021 Bail Ruling and to Reject Efforts to Undermine It Lower courts have been disregarding high court’s ruling that brought more fairness to bail...Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Nov. 7, 2023 MEDIA CONTACT: PubDef-MediaRelations@sfgov.org | Valerie Ibarra, PIO (628)249-7946 **PRESS RELEASE** Two Juries Acquit Man Who Defended Himself Against Shopkeeper While Trying to Use Shop Bathroom Final Charge Dismissed Last Week SAN FRANCISCO – On Nov. 3, the District Attorney’s Office dismissed the final charge against Donovan Catron, who in...Read More
