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
Today, I was joined by Heather Stoloff and Andie Markowitz of Brooklyn Defenders Services Union. They explained how their tense relationship with BDS leadership led one of the most brazen acts of union busting you'll ever hear of a Public Defender leader engaging in.
open.spotify.com/episode/6Qdi...
open.spotify.com/episode/6Qdi...
November 21, 2025 at 2:50 AM
Today, I was joined by Heather Stoloff and Andie Markowitz of Brooklyn Defenders Services Union. They explained how their tense relationship with BDS leadership led one of the most brazen acts of union busting you'll ever hear of a Public Defender leader engaging in.
open.spotify.com/episode/6Qdi...
open.spotify.com/episode/6Qdi...
Today, I spoke w/Ryan Villa, CJA panel rep for the Federal District of NM. After not being paid since July, Ryan and 51 other members of the panel told their District Judge they would no longer take new cases. Ryan joins to explain why and what's next for the panel
open.spotify.com/episode/55HE...
open.spotify.com/episode/55HE...
November 20, 2025 at 2:19 AM
Today, I spoke w/Ryan Villa, CJA panel rep for the Federal District of NM. After not being paid since July, Ryan and 51 other members of the panel told their District Judge they would no longer take new cases. Ryan joins to explain why and what's next for the panel
open.spotify.com/episode/55HE...
open.spotify.com/episode/55HE...
Today, I spoke w/Shawn VanDiver President/Founder of @afghanevac.bsky.social. Shawn and his team help our Afghan Allies and their families escape Afghanistan & seek asylum in the US. We discussed the challenges they face under the new administration and much more!
open.spotify.com/episode/1x5R...
open.spotify.com/episode/1x5R...
November 19, 2025 at 2:09 AM
Today, I spoke w/Shawn VanDiver President/Founder of @afghanevac.bsky.social. Shawn and his team help our Afghan Allies and their families escape Afghanistan & seek asylum in the US. We discussed the challenges they face under the new administration and much more!
open.spotify.com/episode/1x5R...
open.spotify.com/episode/1x5R...
Today, I spoke w/Calvin Duncan and Sophie Cull about their book The Jailhouse Lawyer. We discussed Calvin's wrongful conviction, his nearly 3 decades of incarceration, and how Calvin helped countless people fight for their freedom as a jailhouse lawyer.
open.spotify.com/episode/7pA5...
open.spotify.com/episode/7pA5...
November 14, 2025 at 2:35 AM
Today, I spoke w/Calvin Duncan and Sophie Cull about their book The Jailhouse Lawyer. We discussed Calvin's wrongful conviction, his nearly 3 decades of incarceration, and how Calvin helped countless people fight for their freedom as a jailhouse lawyer.
open.spotify.com/episode/7pA5...
open.spotify.com/episode/7pA5...
Today, I spoke w/Eric Seiferth and Nick Weldon of the New Orleans Historic Collection. We discussed the historical exhibit, The Captive State, that they curated that traces Louisiana's modern mass incarceration back to the state's slave holding colonial roots
open.spotify.com/episode/5UCu...
open.spotify.com/episode/5UCu...
November 12, 2025 at 3:26 AM
Today, I spoke w/Eric Seiferth and Nick Weldon of the New Orleans Historic Collection. We discussed the historical exhibit, The Captive State, that they curated that traces Louisiana's modern mass incarceration back to the state's slave holding colonial roots
open.spotify.com/episode/5UCu...
open.spotify.com/episode/5UCu...
Today, I spoke w/ @finesandfeesjc.bsky.social Co-founder and Co-Executive Director Joanna Weiss. We discussed the impact of unpaid court fines and fees that automatically strip people of their driver's license and the campaign to end these fees in New Mexico.
open.spotify.com/episode/5KzT...
open.spotify.com/episode/5KzT...
November 5, 2025 at 1:45 AM
Today, I spoke w/ @finesandfeesjc.bsky.social Co-founder and Co-Executive Director Joanna Weiss. We discussed the impact of unpaid court fines and fees that automatically strip people of their driver's license and the campaign to end these fees in New Mexico.
open.spotify.com/episode/5KzT...
open.spotify.com/episode/5KzT...
Today, I spoke w/David Bennett. Over a 40 plus years, David helped craft pre-trial service programs that helped reduce jail populations, identify people who need services, connect people with those services, and showed community can be safee without more incarceration.
spotify.link/Vf7HJ0OXTXb
spotify.link/Vf7HJ0OXTXb
October 31, 2025 at 1:38 AM
Today, I spoke w/David Bennett. Over a 40 plus years, David helped craft pre-trial service programs that helped reduce jail populations, identify people who need services, connect people with those services, and showed community can be safee without more incarceration.
spotify.link/Vf7HJ0OXTXb
spotify.link/Vf7HJ0OXTXb
Today, I spoke w/Professor Emily Salisbury to discuss the various tools, practices, and programs she developed to help incarcerated women get the support they need to address the underlying causes of their incarceration.
spotify.link/UvdclazDQXb
spotify.link/UvdclazDQXb
October 29, 2025 at 1:28 AM
Today, I spoke w/Professor Emily Salisbury to discuss the various tools, practices, and programs she developed to help incarcerated women get the support they need to address the underlying causes of their incarceration.
spotify.link/UvdclazDQXb
spotify.link/UvdclazDQXb
Today, I spoke once again with Natasha Dartigue, Maryland's Chief Public Defender. This time, we discussed a range of new criminal law policies in the state and how they will respond to a study showing the need 600 more attorneys to meet workload demands.
spotify.link/EeqA41NhIXb
spotify.link/EeqA41NhIXb
October 24, 2025 at 12:47 AM
Today, I spoke once again with Natasha Dartigue, Maryland's Chief Public Defender. This time, we discussed a range of new criminal law policies in the state and how they will respond to a study showing the need 600 more attorneys to meet workload demands.
spotify.link/EeqA41NhIXb
spotify.link/EeqA41NhIXb
Today, I spoke w/ @3lake.bsky.social Senior Policy Counsel at Southern Center for Human Rights. We discussed a new slate of "tough on crime" laws in Gerogia that might make communities even less safe.
spotify.link/rbTWQjHVEXb
spotify.link/rbTWQjHVEXb
October 22, 2025 at 12:12 AM
Today, I spoke w/ @3lake.bsky.social Senior Policy Counsel at Southern Center for Human Rights. We discussed a new slate of "tough on crime" laws in Gerogia that might make communities even less safe.
spotify.link/rbTWQjHVEXb
spotify.link/rbTWQjHVEXb
Today, I spoke w/Dan Hinkel, a senior reporter w/
@injusticewatch.org. We discussed his reporting about how Cook County's new State Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke hallowed out the Conviction Integrity Unit leaving the wrongfully convicted with fewer paths to justice
open.spotify.com/episode/5FdI...
@injusticewatch.org. We discussed his reporting about how Cook County's new State Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke hallowed out the Conviction Integrity Unit leaving the wrongfully convicted with fewer paths to justice
open.spotify.com/episode/5FdI...
October 15, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Today, I spoke w/Dan Hinkel, a senior reporter w/
@injusticewatch.org. We discussed his reporting about how Cook County's new State Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke hallowed out the Conviction Integrity Unit leaving the wrongfully convicted with fewer paths to justice
open.spotify.com/episode/5FdI...
@injusticewatch.org. We discussed his reporting about how Cook County's new State Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke hallowed out the Conviction Integrity Unit leaving the wrongfully convicted with fewer paths to justice
open.spotify.com/episode/5FdI...
Today, I spoke w/Miami-Dade County Chief Public Defender Carlos Martinez. We discussed how immigration enforcement is affecting their clients, how they've gotten their workloads under control, and how the expansion of the death penalty could upend that progress.
spotify.link/cEXdiu0otXb
spotify.link/cEXdiu0otXb
October 15, 2025 at 1:27 AM
Today, I spoke w/Miami-Dade County Chief Public Defender Carlos Martinez. We discussed how immigration enforcement is affecting their clients, how they've gotten their workloads under control, and how the expansion of the death penalty could upend that progress.
spotify.link/cEXdiu0otXb
spotify.link/cEXdiu0otXb
Last week, I was fortunate enough to attend the Montana State Public Defender annual conference. I sat down with 7 OSPD PDs to discuss how enforcing workload standards changed the culture and the future of Montana Public Defense.
spotify.link/6Wt3pbNCrXb
spotify.link/6Wt3pbNCrXb
October 13, 2025 at 11:46 PM
Last week, I was fortunate enough to attend the Montana State Public Defender annual conference. I sat down with 7 OSPD PDs to discuss how enforcing workload standards changed the culture and the future of Montana Public Defense.
spotify.link/6Wt3pbNCrXb
spotify.link/6Wt3pbNCrXb
Today, I spoke w/Dean Jenny Roberts, Dean of Hofstra law, about her article "Defense Lawyering in the Progressive Prosecution Era." She details the challenges and opportunities defense lawyers face when there is a progressive prosecutor in their jurisdiction.
open.spotify.com/episode/0svI...
open.spotify.com/episode/0svI...
October 8, 2025 at 1:22 AM
Today, I spoke w/Dean Jenny Roberts, Dean of Hofstra law, about her article "Defense Lawyering in the Progressive Prosecution Era." She details the challenges and opportunities defense lawyers face when there is a progressive prosecutor in their jurisdiction.
open.spotify.com/episode/0svI...
open.spotify.com/episode/0svI...
If you want to learn about the dangers of AI generated police reports, read @profferguson.bsky.social's law review article below and then check out the last time he joined the show!
open.spotify.com/episode/5Ooc...
open.spotify.com/episode/5Ooc...
October 6, 2025 at 11:11 PM
If you want to learn about the dangers of AI generated police reports, read @profferguson.bsky.social's law review article below and then check out the last time he joined the show!
open.spotify.com/episode/5Ooc...
open.spotify.com/episode/5Ooc...
Today, I spoke w @joshuaclarkdavis.bsky.social about his new book, Police Against the Movement. Joshua recounts how local police infiltrated, surveilled, & sabotaged civil rights orgs, how those orgs fought back, & what it means for modern police reform movements
open.spotify.com/episode/1IVv...
open.spotify.com/episode/1IVv...
October 3, 2025 at 1:45 AM
Today, I spoke w @joshuaclarkdavis.bsky.social about his new book, Police Against the Movement. Joshua recounts how local police infiltrated, surveilled, & sabotaged civil rights orgs, how those orgs fought back, & what it means for modern police reform movements
open.spotify.com/episode/1IVv...
open.spotify.com/episode/1IVv...
Today, I spoke w Prof Shira Diner. She detailed why the Massachusetts private criminal defense lawyers handling 80% of the state's Public Defender cases stopped taking new cases in May, the state's response, and what's next for Mass Public Defense
open.spotify.com/episode/3cEG...
open.spotify.com/episode/3cEG...
October 2, 2025 at 1:13 AM
Today, I spoke w Prof Shira Diner. She detailed why the Massachusetts private criminal defense lawyers handling 80% of the state's Public Defender cases stopped taking new cases in May, the state's response, and what's next for Mass Public Defense
open.spotify.com/episode/3cEG...
open.spotify.com/episode/3cEG...
Today, I spoke w/Caneel Fraser and Tatyana Kaplan of California's Office of the State Public Defender. They joined to explain a report they recently released detailing how California's prosecutors get billions more than Public Defenders in funding.
open.spotify.com/episode/061d...
open.spotify.com/episode/061d...
October 1, 2025 at 2:09 AM
Today, I spoke w/Caneel Fraser and Tatyana Kaplan of California's Office of the State Public Defender. They joined to explain a report they recently released detailing how California's prosecutors get billions more than Public Defenders in funding.
open.spotify.com/episode/061d...
open.spotify.com/episode/061d...
Today, I spoke w/ @equalityalec.bsky.social about his book, Copaganda. We spoke about the police fueled propaganda that shapes how we think about public safety, why it is so prevalent, and ultimately, how public defenders can combat it.
open.spotify.com/episode/2hEH...
open.spotify.com/episode/2hEH...
September 26, 2025 at 1:33 AM
Today, I spoke w/ @equalityalec.bsky.social about his book, Copaganda. We spoke about the police fueled propaganda that shapes how we think about public safety, why it is so prevalent, and ultimately, how public defenders can combat it.
open.spotify.com/episode/2hEH...
open.spotify.com/episode/2hEH...
Today, I spoke w/John J Lennon about his new book, The Tragedy of True Crime. John tells the story of himself and three other men who committed homicide. The book forces people to grapple with the humanity of the guilty and the inhumanity of our prison system
open.spotify.com/episode/5Cqd...
open.spotify.com/episode/5Cqd...
September 24, 2025 at 1:26 AM
Today, I spoke w/John J Lennon about his new book, The Tragedy of True Crime. John tells the story of himself and three other men who committed homicide. The book forces people to grapple with the humanity of the guilty and the inhumanity of our prison system
open.spotify.com/episode/5Cqd...
open.spotify.com/episode/5Cqd...
Today, I spoke with the Director of the Juror Project, Will Snowden. We discussed the many ways we can increase juror diversity, juror participation, and Will offered everyone the important power juror's have known as Jury Nullification. Google It!
September 18, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Today, I spoke with the Director of the Juror Project, Will Snowden. We discussed the many ways we can increase juror diversity, juror participation, and Will offered everyone the important power juror's have known as Jury Nullification. Google It!
Yesterday, I spoke w/ @partnersforjustice.bsky.social's Vichal Kumar about their new tool designed to help Public Defenders expand the services they can offer to clients.
September 18, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Yesterday, I spoke w/ @partnersforjustice.bsky.social's Vichal Kumar about their new tool designed to help Public Defenders expand the services they can offer to clients.
Today, I spoke w/Michael Rempel and Anna Stenkamp from the Data Collaborative for Justice about their recent report about the impacts (or lack thereof) of discovery laws reform in New York.
open.spotify.com/episode/3n2T...
open.spotify.com/episode/3n2T...
September 17, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Today, I spoke w/Michael Rempel and Anna Stenkamp from the Data Collaborative for Justice about their recent report about the impacts (or lack thereof) of discovery laws reform in New York.
open.spotify.com/episode/3n2T...
open.spotify.com/episode/3n2T...