SF Public Defenders in the News —
Despite SFPD’s Touted Reforms, Racial Bias & Excessive Force Persist; DA Stirring Up Racial Tensions by Charging Unfounded Hate Crime Allegations, Complaining Witnesses Seek Empathy. 🧵

Despite SFPD’s Touted Reforms, Racial Bias and Excessive Force Persist sfpublicdefender.org/news/2024/04/1… via San Francisco Public Defender's Office

Big thanks to @SFDefender warriors—Deputy Public Defenders Matt Sotorosen and Oliver Kroll —who spoke out today at #CALeg against some terrible bills that would take CA back to a harmful era of mass incarceration. The fight continues. Defender411

For 10+yrs San Francisco Public Defender's Office staff have joined middle school career days. Led by Investigator Tim Kingston, our staff help educate students abt the realities of the crim legal system beyond biased depictions in TV/movies & inspire youth to have a more robust understanding of justice.

SF Public Defenders in the News —
Expungement laws & San Francisco Public Defender's Office Clean Slate Paving the Way for Better Futures; Standing for Civil Rights in an Amicus Brief to SCOTUS in Grants Pass v. Johnson; Charges Dismissed Against Local Official William Palmer. 🧵

This week, the SF DA’s office dismissed all charges against William Palmer, a member of the SF Sheriff’s Dept Oversight Board, due to concerns about the alleged victim’s credibility. Mr. Palmer has been in jail since November. sfpublicdefender.org/news/2024/04/a… 1/

Grateful to UC Berkeley Law for the opportunity to speak to alumni and new students about law school and the tremendously rewarding work of #publicdefense . This work is challenging, but the benefits ripple outward and foster justice, true healing, resilience and community safety.

On #TransgenderDayOfVisibility we celebrate the resilience of trans people in the face of systemic inequities & state violence. Our vision San Francisco Public Defender's Office is a world where all humanity is cherished & one of our core values is love. Gratitude to the trans leaders challenging barriers.

This #CésarChávezDay , San Francisco Public Defender's Office honors César Chávez’s enormous contributions to the labor and civil rights movements, and his courage that continues to inspire us. ¡Sí se puede!

SF Public Defenders in the News — San Francisco Public Defender's Office Freedom Project visits San Quentin to support Parole & Reentry, but it’s at risk of losing state funding; Mental Health unit experts highlight the need for a more robust workforce so people can get appropriate levels of care. 🧵

SF Public Defenders in the News — Gideon Day press briefing; caution against speculation&politicization of charges against indigent woman; changes coming to reduce racially biased police stops; push to restore CA funding for resentencing; movement in misdemeanor trial backlog. 🧵

This is a little over half of the yearly budget of the Cook County Public Defender’s Office; an office that employs about 700 people and handles most of the criminal cases in Cook County.

Shout out to Social Worker Rachel Stober for testifying against #AB1809 before the CA Asm Public Safety Committee last week. AB 1809 creates an unnecessary exception to system-initiated resentencing, the process that allows law enforcement to review sentences.