On Monday, June 26, prosecutors began dismissing felony drug cases, but public defenders did not see it coming. Prosecutors were not disclosing the reason, but it seemed to have something to do with veteran SFPD officer Christina Hayes, who has been the arresting officer, executor of warrants, and testifying witness in countless drug cases. Prosecutors […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 28, 2023 MEDIA CONTACT: PubDef-MediaRelations@sfgov.org | PIO Valerie Ibarra (628)249-7946 **PRESS RELEASE** SF Jury Acquits Legally Blind Man Who Chose Jail to Get a Faster Misdemeanor Trial Amid a backlog of 1,100 overdue trials in SF Superior Court, strict pretrial conditions can hinder the lives of those awaiting trial SAN FRANCISCO […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 20, 2023CONTACT: San Francisco Public Defender PIO Valerie Ibarra | (628) 249-7946 | PubDef-MediaRelations@sfgov.org **MEDIA ADVISORY** SF Public Defender’s Office Continues “Summer Sit-Ins” to Draw Attention to Worsening Trial Backlog; Seventh in Series to Focus on Legal Challenges to the Backlog NOTE SPECIAL LOCATION: Civic Center Courthouse, 400 McAllister St. More than 1,100 trials […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 16, 2023MEDIA CONTACTS: Jessie Seyfer, SF Public Defender’s Office | (415) 851-2212 | PubDef-MediaRelations@sfgov.org Sepi Esfahlani, M Strategic Communications | (714) 746-7090 | se@m-consultants.net S.F. Implements New State Law Allowing Thousands of Previously Ineligible Individuals to Expunge Conviction Records SF Supervisors, Public Defender, State’s Leading Advocates for Community Safety Spoke at […]
On April 27, 2023, the California State Assembly Public Safety Committee is holding a Special Session to discuss this year’s state bills related to fentanyl. The San Francisco Public Defender’s Office joins a coalition of 35+ statewide organizations and agencies that have signed onto a letter to the Committee Members urging them to reject these […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 26, 2023MEDIA CONTACT: SF Public Defender’s Office | PubDef-MediaRelations@sfgov.org | Jessie.Seyfer@sfgov.org | (415) 851-2212 **PRESS STATEMENT** San Francisco Public Defender’s Office Urges District Attorney to Drop Charges Against Unhoused Man Who Acted in Self-Defense When Bear Sprayed Evidence shows complaining witness initiated altercation; Video evidence indicates other similar attacks against unhoused […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 26, 2023MEDIA CONTACT: SF Public Defender’s Office | PubDef-MediaRelations@sfgov.org | Jessie.Seyfer@sfgov.org | (415) 851-2212 Civil Rights Corps | Cheryl Bonacci | cheryl@civilrightscorps.org | 818-339-6928 **PRESS RELEASE** Civil Rights Corps, San Francisco Public Defender Ask California Supreme Court to Review Challenge to S.F. Court Trial Backlog Nearly 1,000 trials are delayed past […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 20, 2023 MEDIA CONTACT: PubDef-MediaRelations@sfgov.org | PIO Valerie Ibarra | (628) 249-7946 **PRESS RELEASE** SF Public Defender Co-Sponsoring State Bills to Increase Fairness and Disrupt Cycles of Harm in Our Criminal Legal System Bill package seeks to increase fairness in jury trials and outcomes of criminal legal proceedings for youth, immigrants, […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 7, 2023 MEDIA CONTACT: PubDef-MediaRelations@sfgov.org | (628) 249-7946 **PRESS RELEASE** Second SF Jury Acquits Man Who Gave False Murder Confession to Escape Brutal Florida Prison Conditions SAN FRANCISCO – After a second two-month trial, a San Francisco jury acquitted Roy Lacy on April 6th in connection with a cold case murder […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 16, 2023 MEDIA CONTACT: PubDef-MediaRelations@sfgov.org | Jessie Seyfer (415) 851-2212 **PRESS STATEMENT** Public Defenders Urge Legislature to Stop Governor from Cutting Successful Resentencing Program SAN FRANCISCO, OAKLAND — Thousands of people who are eligible for release back to their families and communities will remain locked in California prisons if the Legislature approves Gov. […]