Shows / Public Defenseless
Public Defenseless
Anyone paying attention can tell you that our criminal legal system perpetuates cruelty and harm, but the complexity of the legal world overwhelms most people just trying to get through another day. Public Defenseless explores the rot in the system and what we can do about it. Host and public defender Hunter Parnell talks with defense attorneys, advocates, scholars and journalists from across the country as they pull apart the system's convoluted web. Views are the host's and guests' own, not…
Episodes
- Public Defenseless
236 | Molly Gilbert and Jason Schwarz: How Washington is Implementing Public Defender Workload Standards
Today, Hunter is joined by Molly Gilbert and Jason Schwarz to discuss the plan to implement Public Defender workload standards across the state of Washington…
- Public Defenseless
235 | Taylor Herbert: The Many Ways Oregon's Civil Commitment System Fails so Many
Today, Hunter is joined by Taylor Herbert, a Public Defender in Lan County Oregon to discuss civil commitment. As is often talked about on the show, the divide…
- Public Defenseless
234 | Stephen Hanlon: Case Withdrawals, Federal Funding, and the Five Year Plan to Fix Public Defense in Oregon
Today, Hunter is joined once again by Public Interest lawyer Stephen Hanlon. This time, Hunter and Stephen are breaking down the five year plan that he hopes…
- Public Defenseless
233 | Lee Wachocki: With Almost 3k People Unrepresented, Why is Oregon adding More Cases to the Public Defender Crisis
Today, Hunter is once again joined by Lee Wachocki, a Public Defender and union leader in Portland, Oregon. As the Public Defender crisis continues in the…
- Public Defenseless
232 | Robin Bernstein: The New York Prison that Started our For Profit Prison Industry
Today, Hunter is joined Professor Robin Bernstein to discuss her newest book, Freeman's Challenge: The Murder that Shook America's Original Prison for Profit…
- Public Defenseless
231 | Dorsey Nunn: From Banning the Box to Restoring the Right to Vote, One Man's Struggle for the Rights of the Current and Formerly Incarcerated
Today, Hunter is joined by the powerful Dorsey Nunn. At 19, Dorsey was given a life sentence. Over the next 11 years, Dorsey would be exposed to violence…
- Public Defenseless
230: The Voices of Victims and Survivors that Alabama Ignores and Neglects w/Leah Nelson and Callie Greer
Today, Hunter is joined once again by Leah Nelson of Alabama Appleseed. This time, they are joined by Callie Greer, a Community Navigator at Appleseed, to…
- Public Defenseless
229: From a 25% Vacancy Rate to Nearly Zero, How the Montana Public Defender System Came Back from the Brink w/Brett Schandelson
Today, Hunter is once again joined by Brett Schandelson, the Director of the Montana Office of the State Public Defender. Last time he was one, we discussed…
- Public Defenseless
228: Why is this Vitally Important Forensic Science so Rarely Used by Defense Attorneys and the Legal System? w/Dr. Shameka Stewart
Today, Hunter sat down with Dr. Shameka Stewart, a juvenile forensic speech language pathologist. While speech language pathologists have long been around, Dr…
- Public Defenseless
227: *AUDIO FIXED* Where is the Ethical Limit for Zealous Criminal Defense Advocacy? w/Martín Sabelli
Today, Hunter is once again joined by former NACDL President, Martin Sabelli. This time, Hunte and Martin are discussing a memo he put out while President…
- Public Defenseless
226: Why Isn't a Cop Who was Indicted for Shooting an Unarmed Person Being Prosecuted? w/Andrew Darling
Last summer, Hunter spoke with Central Florida criminal defense attorney Andrew Darling to discuss Governor DeSantis removing State Attorney Monique Worrell…
- Public Defenseless
225: Why Are People Being Found Not Guilty but Still Going to Prison? w/Andrea Jaeger
Imagine for a moment, you have been accused of several crimes. At trial, you are found not guilty on all the charges except for one. Let's say that this is…
Public Defenseless224: How the DVSJA Gave Two Survivors of Domestic Violence a Second Chance w/Assia Serrano and Trinity Copeland
Today, Hunter concludes the three-part series on criminalized domestic violence survivors by speaking with two women who survived, endured years of…
- Public Defenseless
223: The New York Law Giving a Second Chance to Criminalized Domestic Violence Survivors w/Elizabeth Isaacs
Today, Hunter continues the three-part series on criminalized domestic violence survivors by speaking with Elizabeth Isaacs, an appellate attorney with New…
Public Defenseless222: The Case for Decriminalizing Domestic Violence w/Leigh Goodmark
Today, Hunter starts on part one of a three-part series on criminalized survivors of domestic violence. Kicking off this miniseries is Professor Leigh…
- Public Defenseless
221: ALAA's Ceasefire Resolution and the Fallout From it: Part II w/Sophia Gurulé and Pooja Patel
Today, Hunter is joined by Sophia Gurulé (immigration Public Defender at the Bronx Defender) and Pooja Patel (staff attorney at CAMBA Legal Services) to…
- Public Defenseless
220: ALAA's Ceasefire Resolution and the Fallout From it: Part I w/Michael Letwin
Today, Hunter is joined by Michael Letwin, former President of ALAA 2325 and longtime Public Defender at the New York Legal Aid Society. Today's episode is…
Public DefenselessRE-RELEASE: How Moral Injury, Stress, and Trauma Impact Public Defense with Jenny Andrews
Today is a re-release of my conversation with Jenny Andrews. It comes as a right before two episodes covering the ceasefire resolution put out by the UAW ALAA…
Public Defenseless219: The Future Looks Bright for New Jersey Public Defense w/Jennifer Sellitti
Today, Hunter is joined by the newest Chief Public Defender of the State of New Jersey, Jennifer Sellitti. Drawing on her background in public relations…
- Public Defenseless
218: The Cuyahoga County Youth Public Defenders Want More Cases, So Why Aren't They Getting Them? w/Nikki Baszynski
Today, Hunter is once again joined by an amazing former Public Defender from the Wren Collective to discuss their report about youth representation in Cuyahoga…
- Public Defenseless
217: Securing Life over Death in the Aurora Theater Shooting Case w/Doug Wilson
Today, Hunter sat down once again with the former Chief Public Defender of Colorado, Doug Wilson. This time, Doug and Hunter discuss the Aurora Theater…
- Public Defenseless
216: How a Holistic Defense Team Filled Critical Gaps in D.C.'s Youth Legal System w/Penelope Spain
While working as with the DC Public Defender Services, today's guest realized there was a critical lack of attorneys assisting youth after they had been…
- Public Defenseless
215: As States Criminalize LGBTQ+ People, How can Lawyers Fight Back? w/Richard Saenz
In just this past year, there have been over 400 anti-LGBTQ+ bills proposed in state houses around the country. Many have no hope of passing, but some will end…
- Public Defenseless
214: Even if You're Found Not Guilty, Iowa Makes You Pay for the Full Cost of Your Public Defender w/Alex Kornya
"If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided to you at no cost." Ask the average American, and they will tell you that Public Defenders are free……
- Public Defenseless
213: How Anecdotes and Fear are Driving Maryland to Undo the Juvenile Justice Reform Act w/Natasha Dartigue and Alycia Capozello
After being rated as one of the worst places in the country for their youth legal system, Maryland law makers decided to implement an overhaul of said system…
- Public Defenseless
212: How Three L.A. Public Defenders Hope to Change the Legal System by Becoming Judges w/Ericka Wiley, George Turner, and Kim Repecka
If you've listened to the show long enough, then you know Hunter has consistently advocated for more public defenders to become judges. With their insight into…
Public Defenseless211: The Danger Imperative: Violence, Death, and the Soul of Policing w/Michael Sierra-Arévalo
Why is it that even the most well intentioned, well thought out reforms for policing fail? At the heart of policing is a culture that teaches police to see…
- Public Defenseless
210: The Copaganda Fueling the Retail Theft Crisis that Never Was w/Brad Haywood
Today, Hunter is once again joined by Arlington, VA Chief Public Defender Brad Haywood. This time, Brad joins the show to dig into the ways copaganda has…
- Public Defenseless
209: Sometimes to Fix a Public Defender System, You have to be Willing to Let it Fail w/James McDermott and Paul Chambers
Today, Hunter is once again joined by James McDermott and Paul Chambers from the Far West Texas Regional Public Defender Office. This time, James and Paul are…
- Public Defenseless
208: Death by Design: The Death Penalty in Harris County, Texas w/Jessica Brand
Today, Hunter sat down with Jessica Brand, the found of the Wren Collective, to discuss their recent report about the death penalty in Harris County, Texas…
- Public Defenseless
207: How Public Defenders Can and Have Beaten Mass Immigration Prosecutions w/Eric Fish
In a follow up to our episode on Operation Lone Star, Hunter is joined by UC Davis Law Professor Eric Fish to discuss his recent law review article, "Resisting…
- Public Defenseless
206: What has Actually Happened Since Illinois Abolished Cash Bail w/Sharlyn Grace, Celeste Korando, and Victoria Kerr
(AUDIO CORRECTED) Following years of intense advocacy in the state house, a robust coalition of people in Illinois were successfully able to abolish cash bail…
Public Defenseless205: The Washington Supreme Court Case Giving 500,000+ a New Chance at Freedom w/Grace O'Connor, Nat Jacob, and Kimonti Carter
In 2021, the Washington Supreme handed down one of the most important rulings in the history of the state. For decades, people in Washington were convicted…
- Public Defenseless
204: One Journalist's Effort to Uncover the Rot in Kentucky's Legal System w/Taylor Six
Today, Hunter spoke with Taylor Six, a journalist at the Lexington Harold Leader in Kentucky, to discuss her expansive coverage of the criminal legal system in…
Public Defenseless203: How the Legal System Abuses and Ignores the Rights of Incarcerated People w/Kaelen Perrochet
The protections of the Constitution are meant to apply to all Americans regardless of their status, but for those who are incarcerated, courts have…
- Public Defenseless
202: Using the Carrot and the Stick to Improve Texas Public Defense w/Geoff Burkhart
Today, Hunter is continuing his coverage of public defense in Texas by speaking with former Executive Director of the Texas Indigent Defense Commission and…
Public Defenseless201: The Fight Against Mass Immigration Prosecutions w/Kimberly Simmons and Jamie Spencer
Today, Hunter sat down with Kimberly Simmons, Executive Director, and Jamie Spencer, managing attorney, at the Texas Rio Grande Public Defender to discuss…
- Public Defenseless
200: The Problems with Public Defense in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Alaska, and California w/Radley Balko
Today, Hunter is joined by longtime criminal justice investigative journalist Radley Balko to discuss his newest reporting on Public Defender systems around…
- Public Defenseless
199: The Incredible Success of Missouri's Holistic Public Defense Program w/Annie Legomsky
Today, Hunter spoke with Annie Legomsky, the Holistic Defense Service leader for the Missouri State Public Defender. On this episode, Hunter and Annie discuss…
Public Defenseless198: Ending Mississippi's Criminal Law "Dead Zone" and the Challenge of Securing Public Defender "Wins" w/Andre de Gruy
Today, Hunter is once again joined by Mississippi State Public Defender Andre de Gruy to discuss the criminal legal system in Mississippi. Specifically, Hunter…
Public Defenseless197: Chipping Away at Virginia's Cruel Legal System, One Policy at a Time w/Rob Poggenklass, Andy Elders, and Ashley Shapiro
The conditions with which Public Defenders must fight under are set in the state house. That's why Hunter is so excited to speak with one of the best criminal…
Public Defenseless196: The Coalition Trying to Abolish the Death Penalty in Nevada w/Nancy Hart and Chris Peterson
After our sobering conversation about the Parkland Shooting case on Tuesday, Hunter continues looking into the death penalty in today's episode. Joining him to…
Public Defenseless195: Securing Life over Death in the Parkland School Shooting Case w/Casey Secor and Kate O'Shea
Hunter is honored to speak with two people from the defense team of Nikolas Cruz, Casey Secor and Kate O'Shea, to discuss their role in securing a life…
Public DefenselessThank You for the Past Year and the Year to Come
Contact Hunter Parnell: Publicdefenseless@gmail.com Instagram @PublicDefenselessPodcast Twitter @PDefenselessPod www.publicdefenseless.com Subscribe to the…
Public Defenseless194: Aurora City Council's Continued Effort to Disband the Public Defender Office w/Elizabeth Cadiz
For the last episode of the year, we are returning to the Aurora Municipal Office to unpack the ongoing effort by the Aurora City Council to disband the Public…
Public DefenselessBONUS: Public Comment on the Privatization of the Aurora Public Defender
As a follow up to my conversation with Elizabeth Cadiz, Chief Public Defender of the Aurora Colorado Municipal Public Defender, here are some of the public…
Public Defenseless193: What Went Right, What Went Wrong, and What is Next for Idaho Public Defense w/Kimberly Simmons and Paul Riggins
Today, Hunter sat down with Kimberly Simmons, the former Executive Director of the Idaho Public Defense Commission, and Paul Riggins, a private criminal…
Public Defenseless192: The Rise of Big Data Policing and the Dangers of the Digital Age of Surveillance w/Andrew Ferguson
In our last instalment of our mini series on the Fourth Amendment, Hunter spoke with Andrew Ferguson, Professor of Law at American University Washington…
Public Defenseless191: The Digital General Warrants Encroaching on Your Right to Privacy w/Mike Price
At the founding of the country, the Fourth Amendment was designed to protect against general warrants. In the colonial period, the Crown would secure warrants…
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190: The Dangerous Expansion of Facial Recognition Technology w/Clare Garvie
Continuing our Fourth Amendment mini-series, Hunter is joined today by Clare Garvie, the facial recognition technology guru at the Fourth Amendment Center. As…
Public Defenseless189: Why The Fourth Amendment Needs to Enter the Digital Age w/Jumana Musa
Today, we kick of two straight weeks of coverage on the future of the Fourth Amendment. We start our mini-series by speaking to the Director of the National…
Public Defenseless188: If Law School Can't Solve the Shortage of Public Defenders, What Can? w/John Gross
Without exception, every single state Public Defender system is facing a shortage of Public Defenders. In many of our episodes, we've discussed innovative ways…
- Public Defenseless
187: The Public Defender Take on the True Crime Podcast w/David Moore
Today, Hunter is joined by fellow podcaster David Moore. David is the host of the incredible Podcast, Another Not Guilty, that seeks to take a Public Defender…
- Public Defenseless
186: Why is our Legal System so Ethically Inconsistent w/Kaelen Perrochet
Today, Hunter is once again joined by UCLA law student, Kaelen Perrochet, for another deep dive into the world of legal ethics. Last time he was on, Kaelen…
Public Defenseless185: The Compelling Case for Full Time Public Defender Offices in Rural California w/Lael Kayfetz
After speaking with Chief Public Defenders from most of the major metropolitan areas in California, Hunter turns today's episode to the smallest full time…
Public Defenseless184: Another Supreme Court Decision Stopping Innocent People from Getting Their Day in Court w/Alison Guernsey and Meredith Esser
An unfortunate theme of the show is the reality that the Supreme Court is more than happy to close the doors of the courthouse to those who are factually or…
Public Defenseless183: After Serious Positive Overhauls, What is Next For Delaware Public Defense? w/Kevin O'Connell
Today, Hunter is once again joined by Delaware Chief Public Defender, Kevin O'Connell. Last time, Kevin came on to discuss the uniquely terrible Delaware Law…
Public Defenseless182: Looking to Other Countries to Push Back Against the Cruelty of the American Youth Legal System w/Betsy Clarke
Today, Hunter sat down with a fierce, lifelong advocate for a better system of Youth Justice. Betsy Clarke, the Founder of the Juvenile Justice Initiative…
- Public Defenseless
181: The Partners for Justice Programs Sparking Change in Public Defense w/Rebecca Solow and Vichal Kumar
Today, Hunter is once again joined by two amazing advocates from Partners for Justice. Rebecca Solow, Founder and Co-Executive Director, and Vichal Kumar…
Public Defenseless180: After 17 Years of Incarceration, One Man's Fight to Radically Reimagine the American Legal System w/Sean Wilson
Today, Hunter is joined by Sean Wilson, the Organizing Director at Dream Corp Justice, to discuss his journey from incarceration to community organizing to…