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Public Defender Asks Judge To Set Aside Pleas In Tainted DUI Convictions

San Francisco, CA — The San Francisco Public Defender’s Office today filed a legal challenge in the first of hundreds of driving under the influence convictions tainted by improperly-tested field sobriety equipment.   The case involves a man who entered a no contest plea Nov. 7 to one misdemeanor count of driving under the influence. […]

SF District Attorney and Public Defender to Review Driving Under the Influence Cases Involving Preliminary Alcohol Screening Devices

San Francisco, CA — Public Defender Jeff Adachi and District Attorney George Gascón are investigating cases where Preliminary Alcohol Screening (PAS) devices were used by the San Francisco Police Department when arresting a suspect for driving under the influence. Since the mid-1990’s, the SF Police Department has used PAS devices to administer breath tests to […]

Public Defender’s Office Celebrates Nine Decades of Delivering Justice to San Franciscans

The San Francisco Public Defender’s Office is celebrating its 90th Anniversary, San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi announced. In 1921, the California Legislature passed the Public Defender Act after Clara Foltz, California’s first female lawyer, spent years advocating for the creation of Public Defenders’ offices to provide legal assistance to poor people in criminal law […]

Acquittal in Mistaken iPhone Thief Case

San Francisco, CA — A young man who was accused of theft of an iPhone was acquitted on November 16, 2011, San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi announced. Ronnie Morrisette, 26, was acquitted of robbery, assault, false imprisonment, and four lesser charges. After a week-long trial, the jury deliberated for less than a day before […]

Public Defender Calls for Change Following New Police Misconduct Evidence

San Francisco, CA — Revealing evidence of a fabricated police report, excessive force against a blameless merchant, and police theft, San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi today called on the SFPD to: (1) launch an immediate investigation into new reports of police misconduct, and (2) to institute a zero tolerance policy for officers who steal […]