Public Defenseless
Anyone paying attention can tell you that our criminal legal system is perpetuating cruelty and harm, 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 an attorney, simply tired of a news cycle and talking heads that offer no real solutions to the ever-growing list of problems we face. Hunter hopes that with this information, you will share his belief that ordinary people still can make a difference.
- Update frequency
- every 3 days
- Average duration
- 68 minutes
- Episodes
- 402
- Years Active
- 2021 - 2025
BONUS: Discussion/Debate w/a Former Cop about The Killing of Roger Fortson, The Execution of Marcellus Williams and The Citation of a Homeless Pregnant Woman in KY
A Bonus Episode for everyone! On Monday, I had a discussion/debate with Daniel Carr, a former cop from Albuquerque, New Mexico. Today, we discussed/debated the use of force in the SrA Roger Fortson, …
2024 Wrap Up, Top 10 Episodes of 2024, and What is Next for the Show
Thank you to everyone who has made the show possible this year. Whether you are a listener, a subscriber, a guest, or a friend of the show, this show would not be possible without you! Thanks for an…
313 | How Marsy's Law is Undermining the Criminal Legal System w/Ráchael Powers
Today, Hunter is joined by professor Ráchael Powers to discuss Marsy’s Law. For those unfamiliar, Marsy’s Law is one of many types of Victim’s Bill of Rights law that exist around the country. These…
312 | How to Create More Opportunities to Fight the Government's Case Pre-Trial w/Chesa Boudin and Eric Fish
Today, Hunter is joined once again by Eric Fish and Chesa Boudin. This time, Eric and Chesa join the show to discuss a recent law review article they published discussing ways to strengthen pre-tria…
311 | How the Supreme Court Injected Chaos and Confusion into the Second Amendment w/Jacob Charles
Today, Hunter is joined by Professor Jacob Charles to discuss the Second Amendment. Since D.C. v Heller in 2008, the Second Amendment transformed from nearly dead letter law to one of the most rapid…
310 | How the Junk Science Shaken Baby Syndrome Infected the Criminal Legal System w/Dr. Julie Mack and Randy Papetti
Today, Hunter is joined by Dr. Julie Mack and Randy Papetti to discuss Shaken Baby Syndrome. Also known as Abusive Head Trauma, Shaken Baby Syndrome started out as an untested hypothesis meant to he…
309 | The Problems and Promise of Public Defense in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania w/Rob Perkins and Dan Eichinger
Today, Hunter is joined by Rob Perkins and Dan Eichinger to discuss Public Defense in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. If you’ve listened to the show long enough, then you know that Pennsylvania was …
308 | How the Fear of Too Much Justice Keeps Our Legal System Cruel w/Stephen Bright
Today, Hunter is joined by Professor Stephen Bright to discuss his new book, the Fear of Too Much Justice. Over decades of work as an attorney, Steve has been a leading voice against the death penal…
307 | Why Are Prisoners at Virginia's Red Onion Prison Severely Burning Themselves? w/Phil Wilayto
Today, Hunter is joined the Editor of the Virginia Defender Newspaper, Phil Wilayto to try and understand a simple question: Why are people incarcerated at Virginia’s Red Onion State Super Max Priso…
306 | Why it's Nearly Impossible to Hold the Government Accountable for Violating your Rights w/Joanna Schwartz
Today, Hunter is joined by Professor Joanna Schwartz to discuss Civil Rights Litigation. Like they did for the rights of criminal defendants, the conservative legal movement has slowly chipped away …
305 | How Prosecutors Might get Rewarded for Messing Up the Harvey Weinstein Case w/Amanda Jack
Today, Hunter is joined by Amanda Jack of the New York Legal Aid Society. Today, Amanda and Hunter are discussing the Harvey Weinstein trial. Specifically, they are discussing why the conviction was…
304 | One Step Forward and Two Steps Back Mississippi Public Defense w/Andre de Gruy
Today, Hunter is joined once again by Andre de Gruy, Chief Public Defender of Mississippi. The last time Andre was on the show, he and Hunter discussed some positive changes he was hoping to get out…
303 | How A.I. Can Help Public Defenders Challenge Police and Prosecutors Part 2 w/Prabhas Pokharel
Today, Hunter is joined be the Co-Founder of Reduct, Prabhas Pokharel. Building from Tuesday’s conversation about tech, AI, and Public Defense, Hunter and Prabhas explore the ways AI and Reduct can …
302 | How A.I. is Helping Police and Prosecutors Surveil, Arrest, and Incarcerate People w/Andrew Ferguson
Today, Hunter is joined once again by Professor Andrew Ferguson. Last time Andrew was on the show, he and Hunter discussed the state of the 4th Amendment in the digital era. This time, Hunter and An…
301 | How A.I. Can Help Public Defenders Challenge Police and Prosecutors Part 1 w/IV Ashton
Today, Hunter is joined by IV Ashton, Founder and President of Legal Server, to discuss how a quality case management system and powerful AI tools can help Public Defenders pose more systemic challe…
300 | How Mitigation is Helping Veterans Escape the Criminal Legal System w/Nancy Farrell and Dee Miller
Today, Hunter is joined by Nancy Farrell and Dee Miller of the New York Vet Defense Program. Previously on the show, Hunter and other guests have described the power of veteran and other treatment c…
299 | How NAPD is Fostering a National Forum for Public Defense Innovations w/Jeff Sherr
Today, Hunter is joined once again by NAPD’s Jeff Sherr. This time, they sat down to discuss NAPD’s new Change Maker Forum, what Hunter learned from attending, and how NAPD hopes to use it to spark …
298 |What the History of ULCA’s Police Department Tells Us About the Issues with Campus Police w/Andrew Guerrero
Today, Hunter is joined by Ph.D. candidate and law student Andrew Gurrero to discuss his research about the evolution of the UCLA police department. In this episode, Hunter and Andrew explore the or…
297 | The Successes and Failings of Plea Bargaining in Europe w/Rebecca Shaeffer
Today, Hunter is joined once again by Rebecca Schaffer to discuss plea bargaining in Europe. As we did on Tuesday, this episode aims to help people understand the intractable problems with plea deal…
296 | How South Dakota is Fixing its Public Defense Crisis w/Aditi Goel
Today, Hunter is joined once again by Aditi Goel of the Sixth Amendment Center. This time, we discuss their recent report about Public Defense in South Dakota. Like many county based, county funded …