Like most people, shows like CSI, Law and Order, or even Dexter, may have you convinced that the science used to convict people is airtight. Everything from bite marks, blood spatter, and even finger prints, must be scientifically valid...right? What if I told you, almost all of it is predicated on junk science and the failings of the legal system to catch it? Today’s guest is on the show to highlight this and the infrastructure that has been created to support wrongful convictions. Chris Fabric...
Jun 15, 2022•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 26
In 1976, Ed Monahan was hired as a Kentucky assistant public defender. He would eventually go on to be the state’s Public Advocate for an impressive 9 years. Although he no longer fills that position, today Ed comes on Public Defenseless to talk about the impactful work he did in that role and the advocacy he continues to do today. He’ll also give you a good overview of the public defense system in Kentucky. While the state has a good foundation, it still desperately lacks funding. In a state th...
Jun 08, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 25
Scott Hechinger is the founder and executive director of Zealous. Through his work, he is fighting hard to challenge injustice through the media and topple the imbalance of power within the criminal justice system. As a former public defender in the Bronx system, he comes on today’s episode to talk all about New York Public Defense and his work to make it fairer for all. He explains how he collaborates with the media to change the narrative around public defense and break long-held stigmas. He a...
Jun 01, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 24
Jon Rapping is a former public defender dedicated to changing the system and advocating for true equality. The founder of Gideon’s Promise, this nonprofit organization is on a mission to build a movement of public defenders that can drive transformative change within the criminal legal system. In this episode, Jon talks about the challenges of shaping the culture of a public defender office to one that is capable of providing client centered public defense. He explains why so many young public d...
May 25, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 23
In a profession steeped in tradition, technological advances can come slowly to the legal world. Given the strapped for cash nature of Public Defense, it is essential that PDs break from the tech aversion prevalant in the legal world. That's where my guests for today's show come into play. Rocky Ramirez, Managed Assigned Counsel in Bexar County, Texas, and Paul Chambers, Public Defender at the Far West Texas Office, are on a mission to modernize the system. Public defenders almost notoriously ne...
May 18, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 22
Ready to hear about a different type of law? So far, we’ve spoken to many public defenders who have done work on the trial level, but today I talk to someone who can take you into the nuances of appellate law. In this episode, I speak with Frances Brown: a former appellate public defender, former Chief Administrative Officer of the Colorado State Public Defender Office, and a current member of the Aurora Public Defender Commission. Frances brings a wealth of knowledge with her about what really ...
May 11, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 21
Aisha McWeay is a former public defender and the Executive Director of Still She Rises, the first holistic defense office in the country dedicated exclusively to the representation of mothers in both the criminal and civil legal systems. Today's episode brings to light the unique challenges that mothers face as they navigate the complicated legal world they face in the greater Tulsa community. Still She Rises stands out as an organization that seeks to use the skills of a broad team of attorneys...
May 04, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 20
In Philadelphia, a whopping 70% of people arrested are represented by public defenders. In this episode, I speak with Keisha Hudson, the Chief Defender of the Philadelphia Defender Association. She walks me through the ins and outs of the indigent defense system in Pennsylvania, and how she deals with the lack of funding and support from the legislature. Pennsylvania stands as one of the only states that provides 0 funding to Public Defenders at the trial level. This lack of funding often forces...
Apr 27, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 19
In today’s episode, I speak with Stephen Hanlon, who has been working for over 30 years to drive forward public interest law. With the depth of his experience to back him up, he’ll explain how data is the key to pushing forward legislation and law suits that can help to reshape and empower public defense. When advocating for a change to any system, there has to be mutli-faceted approaches. Some people respond well to the emotional stories. For others, it is data they find the most compelling, an...
Apr 20, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 18
In this special solo episode, I share some thoughts on the first 16 episodes, thoughts from my interactions with people who have reached out, and the direction the show will be going over the next few points I wanna first thank all the people who have gone through the system who have reached out for help/advice/or to share your story. This project is designed to correct the system so that it helps people like yourself, so thank you! In light of the nomination hearings for soon to be Justice Jack...
Apr 13, 2022•1 hr•Ep. 17
16: South Dakota Public Defense w/ Tim Rensch & Bob Pesall South Dakota is like many states around the country in that there are some public defender offices in the “cities,” but the rest of the state is served through an assigned council system. Today, I talk to two incredibly experienced and knowledgeable assigned councils in the state: Tim Rensch and Bob Pesall. Each shares a different perspective on public defense in South Dakota, Tim being in an urban area and Bob being in a rural one. ...
Apr 06, 2022•55 min•Ep. 16
The Missouri public defense system has been shaped by lawsuits that the ACLU has brought forth. Meet Anthony Rothert, one of the individuals behind those lawsuits. Anthony is the Director of Integrated Advocacy at the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri and is here today to give you the inside scoop on the cases. You’ll learn the ins and outs of the indigent system in this state, from long wait times to high public defender turnover rates. This episode will leave you with renewed hope tha...
Mar 30, 2022•58 min•Ep. 15
West Virginia Public Defense with Dana Eddy & Stacey Fragile When it comes to the public defense system, simple human connection is more important than you might think. Dana Eddy, Executive Director of West Virginia Public Defender Services, and Stacey Fragile, Chief Public Defender of the 10th Judicial Circuit, are here to prove just that. In this week’s episode, Dana and Stacey speak about their community outreach efforts in the state and how they are making a difference at a local level. ...
Mar 23, 2022•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 14
From Gideon to Argersinger, much of the legal framework for the public defense came about because of the flaws in Florida public defender system. As one of the only places in the country with elected public defenders, it offers up several quirks that should worry people about the status of public defense in the state. Today, I speak about this complicated system with Rex Dimmig, Chief Public Defender of the Florida 10th Judicial District and President of the Florida Public Defender Association. ...
Mar 16, 2022•1 hr 5 min
In the American conversation, there is a large overlap between class and race. Yet very often, we underplay the role that class plays in the dynamics of our legal system In today’s episode, Hunter chats with Amari Harris, the Equity Diversity and Inclusion Attorney for Virginia Public Defenders to discuss those dynamics and more. He describes his much-needed position within the Virginia public defense system, the broken payment structure for contract attorneys, the ways in which Virginia prosecu...
Mar 09, 2022•58 min
Right now, approximately 40,000 people are incarcerated for cannabis-related charges, while others are making millions of dollars in the legal industry. Steve DeAngelo, often considered “the father of the legal industry,” has been fighting for reform since the 1970s. In today’s episode, Steve is here to talk about his work to reform both the cannabis industry and state laws through his organization the Last Prisoner Project. He’ll disprove the common misconceptions around cannabis while teaching...
Mar 02, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 11
Colorado’s Doug Wilson has worked in the public defense system for over 40 years, so to say he holds a boatload of knowledge is an understatement! Colorado has one of the best models of public defense and Doug is one of the people responsible for that success. In this episode, Doug explains how he worked with the Colorado legislature to create a system built on independence and increase their budget by over 40 million dollars. You’ll also hear about Colorado’s weaknesses—poor determination stand...
Feb 23, 2022•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 10
Marijuana legalization is a hotly debated subject, so it’s no wonder there’s so much misinformation surrounding it. Today’s guest, Christian Sederberg, is here to teach you the truth. Christian is a founding partner at Vincente Sederberg LLP, a national law firm that tackles drug reform. This week, he will walk you through the complicated subject of marijuana legalization, from lobbying efforts to local advocacy. He’ll teach you the misconceptions around the marijuana industry and by the time yo...
Feb 16, 2022•1 hr•Ep. 9
When it comes to public defense, Larry Landis is a legend. As the former Head of the Indiana Public Defender Council, Larry has been in public defense since the 1970s and has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry. As the architect of the current Indiana indigent defense system, he explains how the reimbursement model Indiana runs on came to be and how it affects people trapped in the legal system. Because Larry has been in this industry for so long, you’ll get a unique behind-the...
Feb 09, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 8
Today, I speak with Bennet Baur, the Chief Public Defender of New Mexico. With the power of the people behind them, Ben Baur and the New Mexico Public Defenders were able to find independence and fight for desperately needed reforms. Yet a decade after gaining independence, the Law Offices of the Public Defender can handle only one-third of the cases they carry. This week, join us as we uncover what is going right, what is going wrong, and how our community is put in danger because of a lack of ...
Feb 02, 2022•1 hr 25 min•Ep. 7
Louisiana holds one of the highest incarceration rates in the world. And with a lack of funding, public defenders can only handle 21% of open cases at a time. In today’s episode, I speak to two impressive guests: Derwyn Bunton, Chief Public Defender of Orleans Public Defenders, and Trisha Ward, Chief Public Defender of Evangeline Parish. Together, Derwyn and Trisha walk us through the complexities of the Louisiana indigent defense system and how its fee-based model leads to problems. Derwyn and ...
Jan 26, 2022•56 min•Ep. 6
Meet Justin Andrus: Executive Director of the Maine Commission on Indigent Legal Services. In this week’s episode, I speak with Justin about how he is massively improving the indigent defense system in the state of Maine. Maine is unique because 100% of their public defenders are contract attorneys, but Justin makes it work. You’ll learn the ins and outs of public defense in Maine. By knowing the true realities of the system, you’ll walk away feeling motivated to create change. Key Topics and Ta...
Jan 19, 2022•1 hr•Ep. 5
04: Public Defense w/ David Carroll This week, Executive Director of the Sixth Amendment Center, David Carroll walks us through how he got into public defense, the issues with public defense, and solutions that we can implement now. You’ll learn the some the areas states continue to fail sixth amendment obligationa, the "the dirty little secret" of the American courtroom, and how the justice system can shift to support the public in this space. Through David’s expert experience and unique perspe...
Jan 12, 2022•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 4
In a country that lacks legal representation for all, some people are fighting for change. James McDermott, Chief Public Defender of Far West Texas, and Scott Ehlers, Director of Public Defense Improvement at the Texas Indigent Defense Commission, are two of those people. In this group interview, James and Scott discuss the Texas Indigent Defense System and how they make a positive impact in their respective areas. We uncover the barriers stopping people from receiving fair legal representation ...
Dec 20, 2021•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 3
The Mississippi indictment process is known as the “black hole.” But out of that darkness comes some light: Andre De Gruy, State Public Defender of Mississippi. This week, Andre walks us through how he opened the first state public defender trial office in Mississippi and the reality of public defense in that state. You’ll learn why change within the Mississippi public defense system is so difficult and how Andre has been working to change that story. Through Andre’s expert experience and unique...
Dec 20, 2021•1 hr 13 min
If you are new to Public Defenseless or the topic of public defense, here’s where you should start! In this special solo episode, host Hunter Parnell introduces himself, describes the background of this podcast, and shares everything you need to know about public defense before listening. No matter how much you know about public defense, Hunter’s wise insight and gift for explaining complex topics in an easy-to-understand way will leave you with fresh knowledge to walk away with. By listening, y...
Dec 20, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 1
Anyone paying attention can tell you that our criminal justice system is broken, but the complexity of the legal world overwhelms most people simply trying to get through another day. Public Defenseless explores the rot in the justice system and what we can do about it. Join host, Hunter Parnell, as he interviews top defense attorneys and criminal justice stakeholders from across the country as they pull apart the convoluted web of our criminal justice system. Like so many of you, Hunter is not ...
Dec 14, 2021•11 min
