Public Defenseless

Today, Hunter was joined by Greg Egan and John Choi. For the first time on the show, a Public Defender and the District Attorney join the show at the same time to describe how their collaborative efforts have improved public safety without mass incarceration.   Guest: Greg Egan, Public Defender, Ramsey County, Minnesota John Choi, Elected District Attorney, Ramsey County, Minnesota   Resources: Contact John https://www.ramseycountymn.gov/your-government/leadership/county-attorneys-office/meet-john-j-choi https://www.ramseycountymn.gov/your-government/leadership/county-attorneys-office john.choi@co.ramsey.mn.us https://www.ramseycountymn.gov/your-government/projects-initiatives/transforming-systems-together/youth-justice-transformation Contact Greg linkedin.com/in/greg-egan-2a5a5359 greg.egan@pubdef.state.mn.us   We Resolve https://weresolve-mn.com/about-us/         Contact Hunter Parnell:                                 Publicdefenseless@gmail.com  Instagram @PublicDefenselessPodcast Twitter                                                                 @PDefenselessPod www.publicdefenseless.com  Subscribe to the Patreon www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast  Donate on PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=5KW7WMJWEXTAJ Donate on Stripe https://donate.stripe.com/7sI01tb2v3dwaM8cMN Trying to find a specific part of an episode? Use this link to search transcripts of every episode of the show! https://app.reduct.video/o/eca54fbf9f/p/d543070e6a/share/c34e85194394723d4131/home  

Today, Hunter was joined once again by Andrew Davies and Shelby Sirivore of the Deason Center. This time, the two join the show to help us understand the policy decisions that local governments make that increase or decrease the likelihood that a person who cannot afford an attorney will actually get one appointed if they want it.   Guest: Andrew Davies, Director of Research, Deason Center, Southern Methodist University Shelby Sirivore, Contractor, Deason Center, Southern Methodist University   Resources: Read the Report https://scholar.smu.edu/deasoncenter/18/   Read more from the Deason Center https://scholar.smu.edu/deasoncenter/ Check out Deason's New Website https://www.smu.edu/law/centers-and-initiatives/deason-center/work/research/getting-misdemeanors-right/getting-magistration-right         Contact Hunter Parnell:                                 Publicdefenseless@gmail.com  Instagram @PublicDefenselessPodcast Twitter                                                                 @PDefenselessPod www.publicdefenseless.com  Subscribe to the Patreon www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast  Donate on PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=5KW7WMJWEXTAJ Donate on Stripe https://donate.stripe.com/7sI01tb2v3dwaM8cMN Trying to find a specific part of an episode? Use this link to search transcripts of every episode of the show! https://app.reduct.video/o/eca54fbf9f/p/d543070e6a/share/c34e85194394723d4131/home  

Today, Hunter was joined by Los Angeles Deputy Public Defender Noah Coax. Noah leads the office's Neurocognitive Disorder Team that has charted a new path for public defenders to properly represent clients with cognitive impairments.   Guest: Noah Cox, Deputy Public Defender, Neurocognitive Disorder Team, Los Angeles Public Defender   Resources: More About NDT https://pubdef.lacounty.gov/gold-eagle-award/ https://www.npr.org/2025/11/01/nx-s1-5582617/cognitive-disabilities-diversion https://time.com/6311088/forgiving-johnny-documentary/ Contact the Office and Noah Here NCox@pubdef.lacounty.gov https://pubdef.lacounty.gov/  https://www.instagram.com/lapubdef/ https://www.facebook.com/LACOUNTYPD/ https://x.com/lapubdef https://www.linkedin.com/company/lapubdef         Contact Hunter Parnell:                                 Publicdefenseless@gmail.com  Instagram @PublicDefenselessPodcast Twitter                                                                 @PDefenselessPod www.publicdefenseless.com  Subscribe to the Patreon www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast  Donate on PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=5KW7WMJWEXTAJ Donate on Stripe https://donate.stripe.com/7sI01tb2v3dwaM8cMN Trying to find a specific part of an episode? Use this link to search transcripts of every episode of the show! https://app.reduct.video/o/eca54fbf9f/p/d543070e6a/share/c34e85194394723d4131/home  

Today, Hunter was joined by Danielle Harris, Managing Attorney of the Freedom Project at the San Francisco Public Defender Office. Thanks to mass incarceration policies like mandatory minimums and three strikes laws, thousands of people in California languish away serving brutally harsh sentences. Recognizing the cruelty, the state passed a series of laws aimed at giving people a pathway to early release, and for years, Danielle and her team at the Freedom Project have helped people get early release. Sadly, their grant funding is at an end, and this episode is a reminder that if we are serious about reducing the harms of mass incarceration, we must be willing to fund the mechanisms that undo it.   Guest: Danielle Harris, Managing Attorney for the Freedom Project, San Francisco Public Defender   Resources: Read about the stories in today's episode https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/21/magazine/juvenile-justice-california.html https://wearedefender.com/forty-four-years & https://www.sfchronicle.com/crime/article/SF-public-defender-unit-helps-Oakland-man-go-free-15301831.php Learn More about the Freedom Project https://missionlocal.org/2024/05/public-defender-resentencing-program/ Contact the SF Public Defender ttps://sfpublicdefender.org/ https://www.facebook.com/sfpublicdefender https://x.com/sfdefender https://www.instagram.com/sfpublicdefender/         Contact Hunter Parnell:                                 Publicdefenseless@gmail.com  Instagram @PublicDefenselessPodcast Twitter                                                                 @PDefenselessPod www.publicdefenseless.com  Subscribe to the Patreon www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast  Donate on PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=5KW7WMJWEXTAJ Donate on Stripe https://donate.stripe.com/7sI01tb2v3dwaM8cMN Trying to find a specific part of an episode? Use this link to search transcripts of every episode of the show! https://app.reduct.video/o/eca54fbf9f/p/d543070e6a/share/c34e85194394723d4131/home  

Today, Hunter was joined once again by Professor Justin Murray. This time, Justin and Hunter discussed Justin's newest law review article, Brady's Shadow. In the article, Justin lays out the landmark Supreme Court Case Brady v. Maryland has left criminal defendants with a deeply flawed access to exculpatory evidence.   Guest: Justin Murray, Professor of Law, New York Law School   Resources: Read the Article Here https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5393687 Contact Justin https://www.nyls.edu/faculty/justin-murray/       Contact Hunter Parnell:                                 Publicdefenseless@gmail.com  Instagram @PublicDefenselessPodcast Twitter                                                                 @PDefenselessPod www.publicdefenseless.com  Subscribe to the Patreon www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast  Donate on PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=5KW7WMJWEXTAJ Donate on Stripe https://donate.stripe.com/7sI01tb2v3dwaM8cMN Trying to find a specific part of an episode? Use this link to search transcripts of every episode of the show! https://app.reduct.video/o/eca54fbf9f/p/d543070e6a/share/c34e85194394723d4131/home  

Today, Hunter was joined by two guests from the Brooklyn Defender Services, Heather Stoloff and Andie Markowitz. Unfortunately, today's conversation brings us another allegation of a public defender leader engaging in flagrant union busting efforts. A few months ago, the Executive Director of the organization called Andie in for a one on one meeting. In that meeting, Andie alleges that the Executive Director handed her instructions detailing how to dissolve the office's current union, how to create a new one, and as Andie understood it, that she would be rewarded for doing so.   Guest: Heather Stoloff, Attorney Team Lead, Preserving Family Bonds Team, Brooklyn Defender Services Andie Markowitz, Senior Social Worker, Brooklyn Defender Services   Resources: Read More Here https://queenseagle.com/all/2025/9/19/brooklyn-defender-services-boss-accused-of-union-busting-scheme https://www.alaa.org/media-releases/resolution-condemning-lisa-schreibersdorf https://hellgatenyc.com/brooklyn-defender-services-union-bust/ https://x.com/bds_union     Contact Hunter Parnell:                                 Publicdefenseless@gmail.com  Instagram @PublicDefenselessPodcast Twitter                                                                 @PDefenselessPod www.publicdefenseless.com  Subscribe to the Patreon www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast  Donate on PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=5KW7WMJWEXTAJ Donate on Stripe https://donate.stripe.com/7sI01tb2v3dwaM8cMN Trying to find a specific part of an episode? Use this link to search transcripts of every episode of the show! https://app.reduct.video/o/eca54fbf9f/p/d543070e6a/share/c34e85194394723d4131/home  

Today, Hunter was joined by the CJA Panel Rep for New Mexico, Ryan Villa. The last time Hunter talked about CJA panels on the show he discussed how the federal government stopped paying the panels back in July. After months of not getting paid, Ryan and the rest of the New Mexico panel decided that enough was enough. They wrote a letter stating they would no longer be accepting new cases. With the future funding of this system in doubt, this could be a preview of what is in store for federal public defense in the near future.     Guest: Ryan Villa, CJA Panel Rep, Federal District of New Mexico   Resources: Contact Ryan ryan@rjvlawfirm.com Read the Letter https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/new-mexico-lawyers-stop-accepting-new-court-appointed-defense-work-over-funding-2025-11-05/ https://www.fd.org/news/new-mexico-defense-lawyers-stops-accepting-new-court-appointed-cases-over-shutdown Memo in California https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/federal-judges-can-compel-lawyers-represent-defendants-without-pay-california-2025-11-07/     Contact Hunter Parnell:                                 Publicdefenseless@gmail.com  Instagram @PublicDefenselessPodcast Twitter                                                                 @PDefenselessPod www.publicdefenseless.com  Subscribe to the Patreon www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast  Donate on PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=5KW7WMJWEXTAJ Donate on Stripe https://donate.stripe.com/7sI01tb2v3dwaM8cMN Trying to find a specific part of an episode? Use this link to search transcripts of every episode of the show! https://app.reduct.video/o/eca54fbf9f/p/d543070e6a/share/c34e85194394723d4131/home  

Today, Hunter was the President and Founder of #AfghanEvac, Shaw VanDiver. During our two decades of conflict in Afghanistan, America made a promise to hundreds of thousands of Afghans who helped our cause: work with us, and we will provide you safety from the Taliban. Yet when Kabul fell back into the hands of the Taliban, America left behind more than 195,000 of our allies in harms way. Shawn and his team at #AfghanEvac aim to fulfil the promise we made to our Afghan allies by assisting them in claiming asylum in the United States.   Guest: Shawn VanDiver, President and Founder, #AfghanEvac   Resources: Contact Shawn and His Team https://afghanevac.org/ https://x.com/afghanevac https://www.instagram.com/afghan_evac https://www.youtube.com/c/AfghanEvac https://www.facebook.com/AfghanEvac https://www.tiktok.com/@afghanevac https://truthsocial.com/@afghanevac https://bsky.app/profile/afghanevac.bsky.social https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14026798/   Contact Hunter Parnell:                                 Publicdefenseless@gmail.com  Instagram @PublicDefenselessPodcast Twitter                                                                 @PDefenselessPod www.publicdefenseless.com  Subscribe to the Patreon www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast  Donate on PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=5KW7WMJWEXTAJ Donate on Stripe https://donate.stripe.com/7sI01tb2v3dwaM8cMN Trying to find a specific part of an episode? Use this link to search transcripts of every episode of the show! https://app.reduct.video/o/eca54fbf9f/p/d543070e6a/share/c34e85194394723d4131/home  

Today, Hunter was joined by Calvin Duncan and Sophie Cull, Co-authors of the book, Jailhouse Lawyer. In this book, Sophie and Calvin tell the story of Calvin's life. As a teenager, Calvin was wrongfully charged with and ultimately convicted of a homicide. He faced a life sentence in Angola State Prison. For the nearly three decades that Calvin was wrongfully incarcerated, he worked as a jailhouse lawyer. In that role, he helped countless men, in hopeless legal situations challenge the conditions and legality of their confinement. Now, Calvin and Sophie are here to share the power that a jailhouse lawyer can have in radically challenging mass incarceration.     Guest: Calvin Duncan, Co-Author of The Jailhouse Lawyer¸ Director of the Light of Justice Program Sophie Cull, Co-Author of The Jailhouse Lawyer, Louisiana   Resources: Contact Calvin https://www.loyno.edu/academics/faculty-and-staff-directory/calvin-duncan https://www.calvinduncan.com/ Pick up a Copy of the Book https://www.calvinduncan.com/p/book-the-jailhouse-lawyer Follow Them on Socials https://www.instagram.com/jailhouse_lawyer/?hl=en     Contact Hunter Parnell:                                 Publicdefenseless@gmail.com  Instagram @PublicDefenselessPodcast Twitter                                                                 @PDefenselessPod www.publicdefenseless.com  Subscribe to the Patreon www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast  Donate on PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=5KW7WMJWEXTAJ Donate on Stripe https://donate.stripe.com/7sI01tb2v3dwaM8cMN Trying to find a specific part of an episode? Use this link to search transcripts of every episode of the show! https://app.reduct.video/o/eca54fbf9f/p/d543070e6a/share/c34e85194394723d4131/home  

Today, Hunter was joined by Eric Seiferth and Nick Weldon of the New Orleans Historic Collection to discuss a historic exhibit they curated. The Captive State traces the story of mass incarceration to its historical roots to Louisiana's colonial slave holding past. Guest: Eric Seiferth, Curator/Historian, New Orleans Historic Collection Nick Weldon, Senior Editor, New Orleans Historic Collection Resources: Buy the Book Here https://hnoc.org/publishing/books/captive-state Contact Hunter Parnell:                                 Publicdefenseless@gmail.com  Instagram @PublicDefenselessPodcast Twitter                                                                 @PDefenselessPod www.publicdefenseless.com  Subscribe to the Patreon www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast  Donate on PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=5KW7WMJWEXTAJ Donate on Stripe https://donate.stripe.com/7sI01tb2v3dwaM8cMN Trying to find a specific part of an episode? Use this link to search transcripts of every episode of the show! https://app.reduct.video/o/eca54fbf9f/p/d543070e6a/share/c34e85194394723d4131/home

Today, Hunter was joined by two guest from the Detroit Justice Center, Nancy A. Parker and Rubina Mustafa. As they did on Tuesday, Hunter and his guests are exploring court related fines and fees, how fines and fees are impacting communities in Michigan, and the policies that have started the slow fight to eliminate court fines and fees.   Guest: Nancy A. Parker, Executive Director, Detroit Justice Center Rubina Mustafa, Senior Staff Attorney, Detroit Justice Center   Resources: Detroit Justice Center https://detroitjustice.org/ ​​FOR GENERAL INQUIRIES: info@detroitjustice.org ​​FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES: media@detroitjustice.org Michigan Road to Restoration https://www.michigan.gov/sos/license-id/road-to-restoration   Documentaries https://finedout.com/new-mexico/ http://finedout.com/  https://finedout.com/michigan/       Contact Hunter Parnell:                                 Publicdefenseless@gmail.com  Instagram @PublicDefenselessPodcast Twitter                                                                 @PDefenselessPod www.publicdefenseless.com  Subscribe to the Patreon www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast  Donate on PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=5KW7WMJWEXTAJ Donate on Stripe https://donate.stripe.com/7sI01tb2v3dwaM8cMN Trying to find a specific part of an episode? Use this link to search transcripts of every episode of the show! https://app.reduct.video/o/eca54fbf9f/p/d543070e6a/share/c34e85194394723d4131/home  

Today, Hunter was joined once again by journalist Katey Rausch. Last time Katey was on the show, she discussed her bombshell reporting on the non-disclosure agreements law enforcement was using to hide the misconduct of law enforcement officers. Now, Katey is here to describe how that reporting has turned into a ban on those agreements and a state wide data base to allow people to track law enforcement misconduct.   Guest: Katey Rusch, Record Requests Manager and Data Journalist, California Reporting Project, UC Berkeley School of Journalism   Resources: Contact Katey https://journalism.berkeley.edu/person/katey-rusch/ https://x.com/kateyrusch?lang=en   Read Katey's Work and About the Database https://www.sfchronicle.com/projects/2024/police-clean-record-agreements/ https://gijn.org/stories/investigating-police-officer-misconduct/ https://journalism.berkeley.edu/berkeley-and-stanford-police-database/ https://clean.calmatters.org/ https://calmatters.org/justice/2025/08/police-misconduct-records-database/       Contact Hunter Parnell:                                 Publicdefenseless@gmail.com  Instagram @PublicDefenselessPodcast Twitter                                                                 @PDefenselessPod www.publicdefenseless.com  Subscribe to the Patreon www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast  Donate on PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=5KW7WMJWEXTAJ Donate on Stripe https://donate.stripe.com/7sI01tb2v3dwaM8cMN Trying to find a specific part of an episode? Use this link to search transcripts of every episode of the show! https://app.reduct.video/o/eca54fbf9f/p/d543070e6a/share/c34e85194394723d4131/home  

Today, Hunter spoke with Joanna Weiss, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director of the Fines and Fees Justice Center. Today, the two sat down to discuss FFJC's campaign to end court fines and fess the automatically revoke a person's driver's license nationally and in New Mexico   Guest: Joanna Weiss, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director, Fines and Fees Justice Center   Resources: FFJC https://finesandfeesjusticecenter.org/ https://x.com/FinesandFeesJC https://www.facebook.com/finesandfeesjc/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/finesandfeesjc/ https://bsky.app/profile/finesandfeesjc.bsky.social https://www.youtube.com/@finesfeesjusticecenter9462   Reform in New Mexico https://finesandfeesjusticecenter.org/2023/06/15/new-mexicos-drivers-license-suspension-reform-is-now-in-effect-heres-what-you-need-to-know/   Documentaries https://finedout.com/new-mexico/ http://finedout.com/         Contact Hunter Parnell:                                 Publicdefenseless@gmail.com  Instagram @PublicDefenselessPodcast Twitter                                                                 @PDefenselessPod www.publicdefenseless.com  Subscribe to the Patreon www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast  Donate on PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=5KW7WMJWEXTAJ Donate on Stripe https://donate.stripe.com/7sI01tb2v3dwaM8cMN Trying to find a specific part of an episode? Use this link to search transcripts of every episode of the show! https://app.reduct.video/o/eca54fbf9f/p/d543070e6a/share/c34e85194394723d4131/home  

Today, Hunter spoke with David Bennett, a veteran in the field of pretrial services. They discuss the evolution of pretrial services, the challenges of jail overcrowding, and the misconceptions surrounding pretrial programs. David shares insights on the importance of community support, risk assessment, and the need for effective alternatives to electronic monitoring. The conversation highlights the critical role of rehabilitation and support services in the criminal justice system, emphasizing the need for a paradigm shift in how we approach punishment and pretrial release.   Guest: David Bennett, Retired Pre-Trial Services and Criminal Justice Consultant   Resources: Read More Here https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/jail-capacity-planning-guide-systems-approach       Contact Hunter Parnell:                                 Publicdefenseless@gmail.com  Instagram @PublicDefenselessPodcast Twitter                                                                 @PDefenselessPod www.publicdefenseless.com  Subscribe to the Patreon www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast  Donate on PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=5KW7WMJWEXTAJ Donate on Stripe https://donate.stripe.com/7sI01tb2v3dwaM8cMN Trying to find a specific part of an episode? Use this link to search transcripts of every episode of the show! https://app.reduct.video/o/eca54fbf9f/p/d543070e6a/share/c34e85194394723d4131/home  

Today, Hunter spoke with three amazing guests from Colorado's Office of Alternate Defense Counsel. Kristin Ladd, Blue Daniels, and Mesa Anderson joined the show to discuss the Greater Colorado Fellowship. This program aims to place lawyers in rural parts of the state to serve as private criminal defense lawyers who handle public defender cases.    Guest: Kristin Ladd, Attorney Development Coordinator, Office of Alternate Defense Counsel, Colorado Mesa Anderson, Greater Colorado Fellow, Western Slope of Colorado Blue Daniels, Greater Colorado Fellow, Durango, Colorado   Resources: Find More About the Program Here https://www.coloradoadc.org/public-information/greater-colorado-programs Email the Guests Blue Daniels blue@coloradoadc.com Kristin Ladd kristin@coloradoadc.com Mesa Anderson mesa@coloradoadc.com         Contact Hunter Parnell:                                 Publicdefenseless@gmail.com  Instagram @PublicDefenselessPodcast Twitter                                                                 @PDefenselessPod www.publicdefenseless.com  Subscribe to the Patreon www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast  Donate on PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=5KW7WMJWEXTAJ Donate on Stripe https://donate.stripe.com/7sI01tb2v3dwaM8cMN Trying to find a specific part of an episode? Use this link to search transcripts of every episode of the show! https://app.reduct.video/o/eca54fbf9f/p/d543070e6a/share/c34e85194394723d4131/home