Public Defenseless

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 def...

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 organi...

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...

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 eff...

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...

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 w...

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 comp...

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 knowi...

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 sys...

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...

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 di...

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 to...

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 th...