Public Defenseless – Details, episodes &amp; analysis

@PublicDefenselessPodcast

@PDefenselessPod

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417 | How a Jailhouse Lawyer Challenged Louisiana's Mass Incarceration from Inside Angola Prison w/Calvin Duncan and Sophie Cull

Episode 417

jeudi 13 novembre 2025 • Duration 01:07:58

Today, Hunter was joined by Calvin Duncan and Sophie Cull, Co-authors of the book, Jailhouse Lawyer. In this book, Sophie and Calvin tell the story of Calvin's life. As a teenager, Calvin was wrongfully charged with and ultimately convicted of a homicide. He faced a life sentence in Angola State Prison. For the nearly three decades that Calvin was wrongfully incarcerated, he worked as a jailhouse lawyer. In that role, he helped countless men, in hopeless legal situations challenge the conditions and legality of their confinement. Now, Calvin and Sophie are here to share the power that a jailhouse lawyer can have in radically challenging mass incarceration.

Guest:

Calvin Duncan, Co-Author of The Jailhouse Lawyer¸ Director of the Light of Justice Program

Sophie Cull, Co-Author of The Jailhouse Lawyer, Louisiana

Resources:

Contact Calvin

https://www.loyno.edu/academics/faculty-and-staff-directory/calvin-duncan

https://www.calvinduncan.com/

Pick up a Copy of the Book

https://www.calvinduncan.com/p/book-the-jailhouse-lawyer

Follow Them on Socials

https://www.instagram.com/jailhouse_lawyer/?hl=en

Contact Hunter Parnell:

@PublicDefenselessPodcast

@PDefenselessPod

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408 | How Georgia's New "Tough on Crime" Laws Could Make Communities Even Less Safe w/Blake Feldman

Episode 408

mardi 21 octobre 2025 • Duration 01:26:09

Today, Hunter was joined by the Southern Center for Human Right's Blake Feldman. Hunter and Blake walked through a handful of criminal legal policy changes that recently went into effect in Georgia. Unfortunately, the state continues it's tough on crime approach that may ultimately lead to more kids in adult court, more adults serving mandatory minimums, and the state further trying to incarcerate it's way out of societal issues.

Guest:

Blake Feldman, Senior Policy Counsel, Southern Center for Human Rights

Resources:

Southern Center for Human Rights

https://www.schr.org/

https://www.facebook.com/southerncenterforhumanrights/

https://x.com/southerncenter

https://www.instagram.com/thesoutherncenter

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCApuQiMnBpcuxt-GWx9eF1A

https://www.linkedin.com/company/thesoutherncenter/

Contact Hunter Parnell:

@PublicDefenselessPodcast

@PDefenselessPod

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319 | How a Petty Theft Could get you 180 Days in Jail in Rifle Municipal Court w/Scott Troxell

Episode 319

jeudi 16 janvier 2025 • Duration 01:06:39

Today, Hunter sat down with Scott Troxell to wrap up our conversation on Colorado Municipal Courts. This time, the conversation focuses on how Rifle Municipal Courts were giving people 6 Months sentences for thefts that the state only gave 10 day sentences.

Guest

Scott Troxell, Attorney, Glenwood Springs, Colorado

Resources:

2017 ACLU Report on Colorado Municipal Courts

https://www.aclu-co.org/sites/default/files/JUSTICE-DERAILED-web.pdf

Coverage of Municipal Courts in Rifle by Denver Post

https://www.denverpost.com/2024/12/24/colorado-legislature-municipal-court-bills/

https://www.denverpost.com/2024/09/22/colorado-municipal-courts-sentences-minor-crime/

ACLU Amicus Brief

https://www.aclu-co.org/en/cases/mobley-v-city-rifle-amicus

Rifle Changes Ordinance

https://www.coloradopolitics.com/courts/colorado-supreme-court-dimisses-appeal-after-rifle-backs-down/article_1ff3e57e-9e04-11ee-9a8a-6b95521cebde.html

Current Colorado Supreme Court Issues

https://www.aclu-co.org/en/cases/camp-v-city-westminster-amicus

https://www.aclu-co.org/sites/default/files/field_documents/2024-11-07_aclu_cff_amicus_br.pdf

Contact Scott

scott@troxell-legal.com

Contact Hunter Parnell:

@PublicDefenselessPodcast

@PDefenselessPod

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318 | How to Fight and Abolish the Death Penalty Outside of the Courtroom w/Abraham Bonowitz

Episode 318

mercredi 15 janvier 2025 • Duration 01:09:04

Today, Hunter sat down with longtime death penalty abolitionist activist Abraham Bonowitz. On previous episodes about death penalty abolition, the show has primarily focused on the successes and failures of the fight in the court room. Today however, Abe joins the show to discuss the types of media campaigns and coalition building that is necessary to fight and ultimately abolish the death penalty outside of the four corners of the court house.

Guest

Abraham Bonowitz, Executive Director, Death Penalty Action

Resources:

Death Penalty Action contact

https://deathpenaltyaction.org/

https://www.facebook.com/deathpenaltyaction

https://x.com/DeathPenaltyAct

https://www.instagram.com/deathpenaltyaction/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMW5q-nvTO9XSm38BwgwJgw

Melissa Lucio

https://freemelissalucio.org/

https://www.amazon.com/State-Texas-Vs-Melissa-Special/dp/B08L3Q69NR

https://www.peacocktv.com/watch-online/movies/the-state-of-texas-vs.-melissa/1e71f675-ac8e-303c-a9fa-5dae467c02df

https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/trial-judge-declares-melissa-lucio-to-be-actually-innocent-recommends-texas-cca-overturn-conviction-and-death-sentence

https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/15/melissa-lucio-death-penalty-judge-overturn/

Commutations

https://www.npr.org/2024/12/25/nx-s1-5237504/biden-gets-support-for-commuting-federal-death-row-sentences-for-37-of-40-prisoners

https://www.newsweek.com/death-row-joe-biden-commute-dylann-roof-dzhokhar-tsarnaev-robert-bowers-2005007

https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/in-wake-of-president-bidens-federal-commutations-north-carolina-governor-cooper-grants-clemency-to-15-death-sentenced-prisoners-the-largest-grant-of-capital-clemency-in-state-history

https://www.npr.org/2024/12/23/g-s1-38794/biden-death-row-commutations

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/two-prisoners-cant-legally-object-bidens-death-row-commutations-doj-ar-rcna186280

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/23/us/politics/biden-commutes-37-death-sentences.html

Contact Hunter Parnell:

@PublicDefenselessPodcast

@PDefenselessPod

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317 | How Pueblo Municipal Court Used Contempt of Court to Send People to Jail for Years w/Keri Williams

Episode 317

mardi 14 janvier 2025 • Duration 54:21

Today, Hunter sat down with Keri Williams to continue our coverage of Municipal Courts in Colorado. This time, they discussed how Pueblo Municipal Courts were giving people years in jail for contempt of court charges.

Guest

Keri Williams, Attorney, Pueblo, Colorado

Resources:

2017 ACLU Report on Colorado Municipal Courts

https://www.aclu-co.org/sites/default/files/JUSTICE-DERAILED-web.pdf

Coverage of Municipal Courts in Pueblo by Denver Post

https://www.denverpost.com/2024/07/21/pueblo-municipal-contempt-of-court-charges-jail-time/

https://www.denverpost.com/2024/08/01/pueblo-municipal-court-workplace-investigation/

https://www.denverpost.com/2024/09/11/pueblo-contempt-court-city-defends-investigation/

https://www.denverpost.com/2024/10/11/pueblo-judge-contempt-of-court-aclu-challenge/

https://www.denverpost.com/2024/12/10/pueblo-inmates-released-contempt-court-ruled-unconstitutional/

Contact Keri

keri.williams@beckerlawgroup.net

https://www.beckerlawgroup.net/

Contact Hunter Parnell:

@PublicDefenselessPodcast

@PDefenselessPod

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316 | The Everyday Cruelty in Westminster Municipal Court w/Alison Gordon

Episode 316

jeudi 9 janvier 2025 • Duration 01:09:09

Today, Hunter sat down with Alison Gordon to continue our coverage of Municipal Courts in Colorado. This time, the discussion focuses on the extremely punitive Westminster Municipal Court.

Guest

Alison Gordon, Associate Attorney, McCabe Law

Resources:

2017 ACLU Report on Colorado Municipal Courts

https://www.aclu-co.org/sites/default/files/JUSTICE-DERAILED-web.pdf

Contact Alison

Alison@mccabe-law.net

https://www.mccabe-law.net/

Contact Hunter Parnell:

@PublicDefenselessPodcast

@PDefenselessPod

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315 | How People Are Denied the Right to Counsel in Grand Junction Municipal Court w/Tristan Gorman and Rebecca Wallace

Episode 315

mardi 7 janvier 2025 • Duration 01:17:13

Today, Tristan Gorman and Rebecca Wallace are back this time to discuss municipal courts in Colorado. This episode is the first of our four-part series on municipal courts in Colorado. This episode gives a general overview of problems in this courts and then dives into the outright denial of counsel happening in Grand Junction's Municipal Court.

Guest

Tristan Gorman, Policy Director, Colorado Criminal Defense Bar

Rebecca Wallace, Policy Director, Colorado Freedom Fund

Resources:

2017 ACLU Report on Colorado Municipal Courts

https://www.aclu-co.org/sites/default/files/JUSTICE-DERAILED-web.pdf

Coverage by the Denver Post

https://www.denverpost.com/2024/10/17/grand-junction-municipal-court-public-defenders-right-to-counsel/

Coverage by Grand Junction Daily Sentinel

https://www.gjsentinel.com/news/western_colorado/grand-junction-municipal-court-accused-of-constitutional-violations/article_abbff94a-8d8b-11ef-af0d-a3597da2fba4.html

CFF Website

https://www.coloradofreedomfund.org/

CCDB Website

https://ccdb.org/

Contact Hunter Parnell:

@PublicDefenselessPodcast

@PDefenselessPod

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314 | The Policies Making Colorado More "Tough on Crime" w/Tristan Gorman and Rebecca Wallace

Episode 314

jeudi 2 janvier 2025 • Duration 01:15:22

Today, Tristan Gorman and Rebecca Wallace join the show to discuss the policies, ballot initiatives, and rhetoric from district attorneys that is pushing Colorado back in a "tough on crime" direction. Through their work with their respective organizations, Rebecca and Tristan are intimately familiar with the conversations that the state legislature engage in around crime and the criminal legal system.

Guest

Tristan Gorman, Policy Director, Colorado Criminal Defense Bar

Rebecca Wallace, Policy Director, Colorado Freedom Fund

Resources:

Colorado Freedom Fund Links

https://www.coloradofreedomfund.org/

https://www.coloradofreedomfund.org/2024-legislation

Colorado Criminal Defense Bar

https://ccdb.org/

Contact Hunter Parnell:

@PublicDefenselessPodcast

@PDefenselessPod

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