Public Defenseless Podcast
@pdefenselesspod.bsky.social
Podcast covering issues in Public Defense, Criminal Law, Constitutional Law, and what we can do to improve our criminal legal system
Reposted by Public Defenseless Podcast
Reposted by Public Defenseless Podcast
@elizabethweill.bsky.social, in the new Appeal, on how an important decision from the New Jersey supreme court could, perhaps, inspire other courts & states: theappeal.org/new-jersey-s...
New Jersey Supreme Court Rejects ‘Shaken Baby Syndrome’
The first ruling of its kind in the country could give people convicted based on SBS testimony a new shot at freedom.
theappeal.org
December 23, 2025 at 7:37 PM
@elizabethweill.bsky.social, in the new Appeal, on how an important decision from the New Jersey supreme court could, perhaps, inspire other courts & states: theappeal.org/new-jersey-s...
Today, I spoke w/Missouri's newest Chief Public Defender, Matthew Crowell. Unfortunately, the state has a real crisis in the Missouri mental health system. Often, his clients can be incarcerated for more than a year, just waiting to get mental health services.
open.spotify.com/episode/2HZM...
open.spotify.com/episode/2HZM...
December 19, 2025 at 3:28 AM
Today, I spoke w/Missouri's newest Chief Public Defender, Matthew Crowell. Unfortunately, the state has a real crisis in the Missouri mental health system. Often, his clients can be incarcerated for more than a year, just waiting to get mental health services.
open.spotify.com/episode/2HZM...
open.spotify.com/episode/2HZM...
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You should read this story about deaths due to poor dialysis treatment at a federal women's medical prison. Medical neglect in prison is widespread and unimaginably barbaric. (I had to file a FOIA lawsuit for the mortality reports mentioned here too) www.themarshallproject.org/2025/12/16/w...
December 18, 2025 at 2:14 PM
You should read this story about deaths due to poor dialysis treatment at a federal women's medical prison. Medical neglect in prison is widespread and unimaginably barbaric. (I had to file a FOIA lawsuit for the mortality reports mentioned here too) www.themarshallproject.org/2025/12/16/w...
Today, I spoke to Jennifer Jennison, Chief Public Defender of Stanislaus County, CA. Last time she was on, Jennifer discussed her decision to stop accepting new cases. Now she joins to describe what came of that decision and her push to make the office more holistic
open.spotify.com/episode/1nt0...
open.spotify.com/episode/1nt0...
December 17, 2025 at 2:43 AM
Today, I spoke to Jennifer Jennison, Chief Public Defender of Stanislaus County, CA. Last time she was on, Jennifer discussed her decision to stop accepting new cases. Now she joins to describe what came of that decision and her push to make the office more holistic
open.spotify.com/episode/1nt0...
open.spotify.com/episode/1nt0...
Reposted by Public Defenseless Podcast
Here's interview with US citizen scanned by ICE's facial recognition tech. Walking home from gym, authorities come over. He says he's a citizen. Put him in car. Only release after scanning his face
“Flagrant violation of rights and incompatible with a free society”
www.404media.co/how-a-us-cit...
“Flagrant violation of rights and incompatible with a free society”
www.404media.co/how-a-us-cit...
How a US Citizen Was Scanned With ICE's Facial Recognition Tech
Jesus Gutiérrez told immigration agents he was a U.S. citizen. Only after they scanned his face, did the agents let him go.
www.404media.co
December 15, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Here's interview with US citizen scanned by ICE's facial recognition tech. Walking home from gym, authorities come over. He says he's a citizen. Put him in car. Only release after scanning his face
“Flagrant violation of rights and incompatible with a free society”
www.404media.co/how-a-us-cit...
“Flagrant violation of rights and incompatible with a free society”
www.404media.co/how-a-us-cit...
Reposted by Public Defenseless Podcast
Bolts staff writer @laurengill.bsky.social appeared on @pdefenselesspod.bsky.social to discuss her reporting on a rural Arkansas community fighting the construction of a new prison.
Listen to the full episode: open.spotify.com/epi...
And read Lauren's story: boltsmag.org/arkansa...
Listen to the full episode: open.spotify.com/epi...
And read Lauren's story: boltsmag.org/arkansa...
426 | The Conservative Arkansas County Trying to Stop a Prison Being Built Next Door w/Lauren Gill
Public Defenseless · Episode
open.spotify.com
December 12, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Bolts staff writer @laurengill.bsky.social appeared on @pdefenselesspod.bsky.social to discuss her reporting on a rural Arkansas community fighting the construction of a new prison.
Listen to the full episode: open.spotify.com/epi...
And read Lauren's story: boltsmag.org/arkansa...
Listen to the full episode: open.spotify.com/epi...
And read Lauren's story: boltsmag.org/arkansa...
Reposted by Public Defenseless Podcast
Today, I spoke w/ @laurengill.bsky.social of @boltsmag.org. We discussed a small Arkansas County fighting back against a new prison in their backyard. When forced to confront the reality of mass incarceration, this tough on crime community change its views on crime and punishment
December 12, 2025 at 1:18 AM
Today, I spoke w/ @laurengill.bsky.social of @boltsmag.org. We discussed a small Arkansas County fighting back against a new prison in their backyard. When forced to confront the reality of mass incarceration, this tough on crime community change its views on crime and punishment
Reposted by Public Defenseless Podcast
Chris is over halfway there! Sharing again in case anyone is trying to get rid of some $ before the end of the year...
Sharing a verified gofundme to help Chris get back on his feet after over 30 years of wrongful incarceration: gofundme.com/f/help-chris... Chris has helped the people around him - on death row and off - in a lot of ways, and it would be very cool if he reached his goal in time for Christmas!
December 10, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Chris is over halfway there! Sharing again in case anyone is trying to get rid of some $ before the end of the year...
Today, I spoke w/Greg Egan, a Public Defender in Ramsey County MN, and John Choi, the County Attorney in Ramsey County. These two joined the show to discuss how they have been able to collaborate to create non-carceral alternatives to address public safety issues.
open.spotify.com/episode/0OFP...
open.spotify.com/episode/0OFP...
December 10, 2025 at 4:07 AM
Today, I spoke w/Greg Egan, a Public Defender in Ramsey County MN, and John Choi, the County Attorney in Ramsey County. These two joined the show to discuss how they have been able to collaborate to create non-carceral alternatives to address public safety issues.
open.spotify.com/episode/0OFP...
open.spotify.com/episode/0OFP...
Reposted by Public Defenseless Podcast
EFF has long warned about police use of facial recognition technology. Now we're seeing exactly what we feared: Axon is testing this tech in body-worn cameras. www.eff.org/deeplinks/2...
Axon Tests Face Recognition on Body-Worn Cameras
Axon Enterprise Inc. is working with a Canadian police department to test the addition of face recognition technology (FRT) to its body-worn cameras (BWCs). This is an alarming development in
www.eff.org
December 7, 2025 at 5:59 PM
EFF has long warned about police use of facial recognition technology. Now we're seeing exactly what we feared: Axon is testing this tech in body-worn cameras. www.eff.org/deeplinks/2...
Today, I spoke w/Andrew Davies and Shelby Sirivore of SMU's Deason Center about a report they wrote about rates of representation. They reveal something shocking: in many Texas jurisdictions, no one has appointed representation in any misdemeanor cases.
open.spotify.com/episode/5YNx...
open.spotify.com/episode/5YNx...
December 5, 2025 at 3:14 AM
Today, I spoke w/Andrew Davies and Shelby Sirivore of SMU's Deason Center about a report they wrote about rates of representation. They reveal something shocking: in many Texas jurisdictions, no one has appointed representation in any misdemeanor cases.
open.spotify.com/episode/5YNx...
open.spotify.com/episode/5YNx...
Today, I spoke w/Andrew Davies and Shelby Sirivore of SMU's Deason Center about a report they wrote about rates of representation. They reveal something shocking: in many Texas jurisdictions, no one has appointed representation in any misdemeanor cases.
open.spotify.com/episode/5YNx...
open.spotify.com/episode/5YNx...
December 5, 2025 at 3:10 AM
Today, I spoke w/Andrew Davies and Shelby Sirivore of SMU's Deason Center about a report they wrote about rates of representation. They reveal something shocking: in many Texas jurisdictions, no one has appointed representation in any misdemeanor cases.
open.spotify.com/episode/5YNx...
open.spotify.com/episode/5YNx...
I recently spoke w/Danielle Harris, Team Lead of @sfpublicdefender.sf.gov Freedom Project. The Freedom Project has helped free people facing disproportionately long, cruel sentences in an effort to chip away at California's history of mass incarceration.
open.spotify.com/episode/0Br0...
open.spotify.com/episode/0Br0...
December 5, 2025 at 3:00 AM
I recently spoke w/Danielle Harris, Team Lead of @sfpublicdefender.sf.gov Freedom Project. The Freedom Project has helped free people facing disproportionately long, cruel sentences in an effort to chip away at California's history of mass incarceration.
open.spotify.com/episode/0Br0...
open.spotify.com/episode/0Br0...
Reposted by Public Defenseless Podcast
Traffic fatalities are outpacing homicides in the most surveilled city in the US. Goes to show that a narrow view of "public safety" is dangerous. $361 million police budget and unknown more private funding through the Police Foundation and traffic accidents are the biggest public safety risk.
Report: Traffic fatalities outpace homicides in metro Atlanta
Analysis draws comparison between the two, pointing out that roadway deaths should be more preventable than violence, with proven safety upgrades that can prevent them.
www.ajc.com
December 4, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Traffic fatalities are outpacing homicides in the most surveilled city in the US. Goes to show that a narrow view of "public safety" is dangerous. $361 million police budget and unknown more private funding through the Police Foundation and traffic accidents are the biggest public safety risk.
Reposted by Public Defenseless Podcast
People tend to associate law enforcement repression of black activism w/ the naked violence of Birmingham or the Panthers vs the FBI. That's not the whole story. I reviewed a new book abt local police surveillance of the civil rights movement for
@newrepublic.com:
newrepublic.com/article/2028...
@newrepublic.com:
newrepublic.com/article/2028...
How Police Harassed and Infiltrated Civil Rights Groups
Efforts to surveil and undermine activists went far beyond infamous operations such as Cointelpro.
newrepublic.com
December 3, 2025 at 6:54 PM
People tend to associate law enforcement repression of black activism w/ the naked violence of Birmingham or the Panthers vs the FBI. That's not the whole story. I reviewed a new book abt local police surveillance of the civil rights movement for
@newrepublic.com:
newrepublic.com/article/2028...
@newrepublic.com:
newrepublic.com/article/2028...
Reposted by Public Defenseless Podcast
When communities view ICE, federal agents, and local police who collaborate with ICE as a political weapon, trust collapses. People become more afraid to report crime & everyone becomes LESS safe esp survivors of domestic violence. A 🧵 w data & examples (1/4) 👇🏽:
December 3, 2025 at 1:08 PM
When communities view ICE, federal agents, and local police who collaborate with ICE as a political weapon, trust collapses. People become more afraid to report crime & everyone becomes LESS safe esp survivors of domestic violence. A 🧵 w data & examples (1/4) 👇🏽:
Today, I spoke w/Noah Cox of the LA Public Defender's Neurocognitive Disorder Team. They help their clients who have cognitive impairments like dementia, autism, or TBIs navigate the legal system and connect with treatment programs that meet their specific needs.
open.spotify.com/episode/1O0G...
open.spotify.com/episode/1O0G...
December 3, 2025 at 4:25 AM
Today, I spoke w/Noah Cox of the LA Public Defender's Neurocognitive Disorder Team. They help their clients who have cognitive impairments like dementia, autism, or TBIs navigate the legal system and connect with treatment programs that meet their specific needs.
open.spotify.com/episode/1O0G...
open.spotify.com/episode/1O0G...
Reposted by Public Defenseless Podcast
THREAD. There are almost no instances in corporate media where there is a debate about the role of police, prosecutors, and prisons that includes a person critical of those institutions. One result? Many liberals and Democrats are wildly uninformed and misinformed. www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZCl...
DEBATE: Do People Take "DEFUND" Seriously? (w/ Matt Stoller & Alec Karatkatsanis)
YouTube video by Bad Faith
www.youtube.com
November 30, 2025 at 12:50 AM
THREAD. There are almost no instances in corporate media where there is a debate about the role of police, prosecutors, and prisons that includes a person critical of those institutions. One result? Many liberals and Democrats are wildly uninformed and misinformed. www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZCl...
Reposted by Public Defenseless Podcast
Huge news today, if you missed it; Chris Duncan was released from Louisiana prison after being wrongfully convicted for nearly three decades.
@psfrench.bsky.social wrote this devastating but important read this spring on Louisiana’s rush to kill Jim despite junk science.
@psfrench.bsky.social wrote this devastating but important read this spring on Louisiana’s rush to kill Jim despite junk science.
The Human Cost of Jeff Landry’s Drive to Resume Executions - Bolts
Chris Duncan’s death sentence—built on the testimony of two discredited doctors—illustrates just how faulty the system can be.
boltsmag.org
November 27, 2025 at 12:34 AM
Huge news today, if you missed it; Chris Duncan was released from Louisiana prison after being wrongfully convicted for nearly three decades.
@psfrench.bsky.social wrote this devastating but important read this spring on Louisiana’s rush to kill Jim despite junk science.
@psfrench.bsky.social wrote this devastating but important read this spring on Louisiana’s rush to kill Jim despite junk science.
Reposted by Public Defenseless Podcast
Baltimore and Atlanta: I'm doing two more talks in 2025. Two cities that have been home, and I'm looking forward to both. Tues, 12/02 at the Enoch Pratt Central Library with Senator Emerita @jillpc.bsky.social + Thur, 12/04 at Auburn Ave Research Library with @jduffyrice.bsky.social. Come say hello!
November 25, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Baltimore and Atlanta: I'm doing two more talks in 2025. Two cities that have been home, and I'm looking forward to both. Tues, 12/02 at the Enoch Pratt Central Library with Senator Emerita @jillpc.bsky.social + Thur, 12/04 at Auburn Ave Research Library with @jduffyrice.bsky.social. Come say hello!
Reposted by Public Defenseless Podcast
The growing use of AI-powered tools in police departments raises serious concerns for civil rights and civil liberties. Our new analysis outlines the risks and the safeguards needed to address them. bit.ly/44nxPlx
The Dangers of Unregulated AI in Policing
New data fusion tools risk embedding biases and chilling free speech.
www.brennancenter.org
November 26, 2025 at 5:17 PM
The growing use of AI-powered tools in police departments raises serious concerns for civil rights and civil liberties. Our new analysis outlines the risks and the safeguards needed to address them. bit.ly/44nxPlx
Reposted by Public Defenseless Podcast
Police have access to massive surveillance networks that track the public whether they are suspects or not. That means probably for every 1 officer caught using the system to harass or spy on people they have feuds with, ex's, activists, journalists, there are probably 100 more we don't know about.
Georgia police chief charged with using license plate readers to stalk and harass people
A police chief in suburban Atlanta has been arrested on charges of using the city's license plate cameras to stalk and harass people.
apnews.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Police have access to massive surveillance networks that track the public whether they are suspects or not. That means probably for every 1 officer caught using the system to harass or spy on people they have feuds with, ex's, activists, journalists, there are probably 100 more we don't know about.
Reposted by Public Defenseless Podcast
ICE arrests, detains British woman with US husband and newborn when she shows up for her green card interview. She’s now in a detention center, separated from her 6-month-old. No criminal record. She had overstayed her visa.
www.lbc.co.uk/article/brit...
www.lbc.co.uk/article/brit...
British mum detained by ICE agents in California as six-month old baby and stunned husband watch on | LBC
Katie Paul, 33, was in the process of applying for a green card when she was ambushed by immigration agents
www.lbc.co.uk
November 25, 2025 at 11:13 AM
ICE arrests, detains British woman with US husband and newborn when she shows up for her green card interview. She’s now in a detention center, separated from her 6-month-old. No criminal record. She had overstayed her visa.
www.lbc.co.uk/article/brit...
www.lbc.co.uk/article/brit...