Thank You for the Past Year and the Year to Come

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12/22/23 • 9 min

Public Defenseless

Contact Hunter Parnell:

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Contact Hunter Parnell:

[email protected]

Instagram

@PublicDefenselessPodcast

Twitter

@PDefenselessPod

www.publicdefenseless.com

Subscribe to the Patron

www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast

Donate on PayPal

https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=5KW7WMJWEXTAJ

Donate on Stripe

https://donate.stripe.com/7sI01tb2v3dwaM8cMN

Previous Episode

194: Aurora City Council's Continued Effort to Disband the Public Defender Office w/Elizabeth Cadiz

For the last episode of the year, we are returning to the Aurora Municipal Office to unpack the ongoing effort by the Aurora City Council to disband the Public Defender Office. This time, Hunter is joined by the new Chief Public Defender, Elizabeth Cadiz. Over a long career in the office, Elizabeth has seen the incredible corruption and Constitutional violations. Over the last year, she helped to orchestrate an amazing challenge to the city attorney’s office pattern and practice of discovery violations. Following this victory and her taking over the office, City Council is one again determined to remove the office in favor of a “cheaper” alternative. While the City Council continues to say this is about costs, but a look back at the history of this office indicates that City Council is simply tired of having a zealous advocate stand in the way of their tough on crime agenda.

Guests:

Elizabeth Cadiz, Chief Public Defender, Aurora, Colorado Municipal Public Defense

Resources:

Aurora lawmakers agree to analyze privatizing public defender’s office

https://sentinelcolorado.com/metro/aurora-lawmakers-solicit-bids-to-privatize-public-defenders-office/

Local News Coverage

https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/aurora-considering-getting-rid-public-defenders/

https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/video/aurora-considering-getting-rid-of-public-defenders/

Offense for the defense: Aurora public defenders take the stand

https://sentinelcolorado.com/metro/offense-for-the-defense-aurora-public-defenders-take-the-stand/

ACLU Letter to City Council

https://www.aclu-co.org/en/news/letter-aurora-city-council-regarding-resolution-concerning-aurora-public-defenders-office

Defender’s Union of Colorado Op-Ed

https://sentinelcolorado.com/opinion/columnists/guest-column-aurora-council-gop-has-ulterior-motive-in-targeting-public-defenders/

Prosecutors ordered to review cases after Aurora office failed to provide defendants with knowledge of discredited cops

Aurora city attorneys review, notify impacted defendants of lacking ‘Brady letters’

Aurora lawmakers give 1st OK to mandatory jail time for shoplifting, despite lack of cost data

Aurora lawmakers impose mandatory 3 days in jail for shoplifting more than $300

Aurora council defends cuts to diversity office, public defender, police monitor in first round of budget voting

Impacts of Mandatory Minimum Sentencing:

https://law.asu.edu/sites/default/files/pdf/academy_for_justice/7_Criminal_Justice_Reform_Vol_4_Mandatory-Minimums.pdf

https://www.sentencingproject.org/reports/long-term-sentences-time-to-reconsider-the-scale-of-punishment/

https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/end-mandatory-minimums

NLADA Report on Aurora Office

ACLU Report on Municipal Courts Colorado

Contact Hunter Parnell:

Next Episode

195: Securing Life over Death in the Parkland School Shooting Case w/Casey Secor and Kate O'Shea

Today, Hunter is honored to speak with two people from the defense team of Nikolas Cruz, Casey Secor and Kate O’Shea, to discuss their role in securing a life sentence over the death penalty. Today’s episode touches on an incredibly sensitive, complex topic about one of the most horrific crimes committed in recent memory. Throughout this episode, Kate and Casey draw on their years of expertise in fighting against the death penalty to explain how this incredible tragedy occurred. As is always the case in death penalty cases, Hunter, Kate, and Casey reveal the incredible advantages the prosecution is afforded, but despite these advantages, three jurors voted for life over death. In response, Florida has done everything in their power to make it easier for the state to execute people. Hopefully by the end of this incredible conversation, you will understand why Florida’s response is one we should emphatically reject.

Guests:

Casey Secor, CEO and Senior Staff Attorney, Suzerain Capital Defense

Kate O’Shea, Mitigation Specialist, Suzerain Capital Defense

Resources:

Suzerain Capital Defense

https://www.szrn.org/

Parkland Judge Reprimanded

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/florida-supreme-court-reprimands-judge-for-conduct-during-parkland-shooting-trial

Florida’s Multifaceted Expansion of the Death Penalty Raises Constitutional Concerns

https://www.americanbar.org/groups/committees/death_penalty_representation/publications/project_blog/florida-expands-the-death-penalty/

Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty

https://www.fadp.org/fl-innocence-list/#:~:text=Florida%20leads%20the%20nation%20with,for%20every%20three%20people%20executed.&text=Three%2Dfourths%20(22%20of%2030,survivors%20are%20people%20of%20color.