San Francisco Public Defender Mano Raju gave this exclusive interview to Haaziq Madyun of KRON4 News to discuss how a carceral response to drugs has not and will not solve the tragic opioid and overdose epidemic that has impacted every community in the country. In terms of San Francisco, he cautioned against interim District Attorney...Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 26, 2022 MEDIA CONTACT: SF Public Defender’s Office | Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org | (628)249-7946 **PRESS RELEASE** SF Jury Acquits on Assault Charge in a Trial That Came 7 Months Late for a Man Jailed for Nearly a Year SFPD took 9 months to turn over video that the jury used to reach its...Read More

SF Examiner Reports on the “Legal Logjam” in SF Courts Keeping Hundreds in Jail Past Trial Deadlines “If we’re going to prioritize anything as The City reopens, the most important thing to prioritize, according to our Constitution, should be people’s right to liberty,” [raju] said. The San Francisco Public Defender’s Office has been raising the...Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 30, 2022 CONTACT: SF Public Defender’s Office |Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org | (628)249-7946 **PRESS RELEASE** SF Jury Acquits Man Who Spent 331 Days in Jail, Nearly 8 Months Past his Legal Deadline for Trial SAN FRANCISCO – Yesterday, a San Francisco jury acquitted Isaac Tuialuuluu of a felony assault charge after finding that he...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

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...Read More