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.
Latest episodes
Showing 20 · updated from the feed
518 | Did the Supreme Court Finally Ensure the Fourth Amendment Protects Our Data? Part 2 w/Andrew Ferguson
On this episode, Hunter speaks once again by Professor Andrew Ferguson to discuss the Fourth Amendment and the right to privacy. Previously, Hunter spoke with Jumana Musa
Sep 24 1 h 03 min
517 | Did the Supreme Court Finally Ensure the Fourth Amendment Protects Our Data? Part 1 w/Jumana Musa
On this episode, Hunter speaks once again Jumana Musa, Director of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyer's Fourth Amendment Center. Hunter and Jumana discus
Sep 22 1 h 02 min
516 | Will a New Commission Finally Get California to Fund Public Defense? w/Chesa Boudin
On this episode, Hunter spoke once again with Chesa Boudin. This time, the two discussed a new commission in California tasked with studying the best path forward for a s
Sep 17 47 min
515 | How Public Defense is Failing in Rural California w/Rio Scharf and Josh Schwartz
In this episode, Hunter speaks with Rio Scharf and Josh Schwartz to discuss a report detailing the incredible failing of public defense in rural California.
Guest:
Sep 15 54 min
514 | How the Prison System fails to Offer Second Chances w/Jesse Crosson
In this episode, Hunter speaks with Jesse Crosson about his book The Best Part of Prison: The Power of Second Chances and Reclaiming Life Out of Darkness. Jesse spent nea
Sep 10 1 h 01 min
513 | How to Teach Kids to Think like a Public Defender w/Emily Galvin Almanza
In this episode, Hunter speaks once again with Emily Galvin Almanza about a new book she is publishing. While her last book sought to teach adults about the failings of o
Sep 8 54 min
512 | How Public Advocacy Secured Missouri Public Defenders Pay Parity and Much More w/Matthew Crowell and Jet McDonald
In this episode, Hunter revisits with Matthew Crowell, Director of the Missouri State Public Defender, and for the first time Jet McDonald, MSPD's newest Comms Strategist
Sep 3 1 h 01 min
511 | God Forgives, Brothers Don't: The Long March of Military Education and the Making of American Manhood w/Jasper Craven
On this episode, Hunter spoke with Jasper Crave, author of the book God Forgives, Brothers Don't: The Long March of Military Education and the Making of American Manhood.
Sep 1 1 h 09 min
510 | What are a Defense Lawyer's Ethical Obligations When They Use A.I.? w/Mason Clark
On this episode, Professor Mason Clark joins to discuss a new white paper he authored for the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers titled Parity in Practice:
Aug 27 1 h 11 min
509 | How to Create Workload Standards for Public Defenders w/Malia Brink
Since the release of the National Public Defender Workload Study, Malia Brink travelled the country helping Public Defenders create and implement workload standards. Now,
Aug 25 1 h 04 min
508 | Will Underfunding Push the Defenders Association of Philadelphia to Stop Accepting New Cases? w/Keisha Hudson
In the last budget cycle, Keisha Hudson, Chief Defender of the Defender Association of Philadelphia, asked the city for $5 million. Instead, the city council and the mayo
Aug 20 1 h 06 min
507 | Robin "Rocky" Myers was Wrongfully Convicted of Murder. Was his Defense Lawyer in the Ku Klux Klan? w/Leah Nelson
The State of Alabama sentenced Robin "Rocky" Myers to death after he was convicted of murder in 1994. Over the next 30 years, Rocky fought to prove his innocence, and wit
Aug 18 1 h 25 min
506 | Pink Crime: How to Fight the Criminalization of Motherhood, Pregnancy, and Queer Identity w/Valena Beety
Hunter is joined once again by Professor Valena Beety. Valena joins the show to discuss her new book, Pink Crime: Fighting Against the Criminalization of Motherhood, Preg
Aug 13 1 h 08 min
505 | Will Automation Make it Harder to Keep Junk Science out of Court? w/Lisa Waters
Hunter is joined once again by Professor Lisa Waters to discuss her law review article, Automating Junk Science. In it, Lisa details a troubling trend where police office
Aug 11 56 min
504 | By Helping Victims and Perpetrators, Domestic Violence can Be Solved Without Relying on the Criminal Legal System w/Liz Ortenburger
Hunter is joined by Liz Ortenburger, the CEO of Safe Nest. Liz and her team at Safe Nest operate a shelter and aid center for victims and perpetrators of domestic violenc
Aug 6 1 h 02 min
503 | Why is the NDS Union on Strike? UPDATE THEY WON!! w/Ashley Munger, Katherine Shamsie, and Samantha Rudelich
Breaking news: As the evening of Aug 4, the NDS Union won a contract!!
Hunter is joined by Ashley Munger, Katherine Shamsie, and Samantha Rudelich of the NDS Union
Aug 4 1 h 08 min
502 | How a Not Guilty Verdict in a Homicide Case Shows the Promise of Idaho's Statewide Public Defense System w/Eric Fredericksen and Doug Nelson
Today, Hunter was joined once again by two guests from the Idaho State Public Defender System. Eric Fredericksen, State Public Defender, and Doug Nelson, Litigation Direc
Jul 30 52 min
501 | Why Public Defenders Need the Insights and Expertise of Formerly Incarcerated People in Their Offices w/Jennifer Jennison and Sammy Provencio
Hunter is joined once again by Jennifer Jennison and joining us for the first time is Sammy Provencio. After spending more than 30 years in custody, Sammy has joined the
Jul 28 58 min
500 | Public Defense is Underfunded, but by How Much? Putting a Conservative Number on the Cost of the Right to Counsel w/Ben Polk
Hunter is joined by Ben Polk, Director of the Transformative Justice Project at New York University School of Law, Robert and Helen Bernstein Institute for Human Rights t
Jul 23 55 min
499 | When Delays in the Appointment of Counsel Violate the Constitution w/Eve Primus
Hunter is joined once again by Professor Eve Primus to discuss another excellent law review article about Public Defense. This time, Professor Primus details how delays i
Jul 21 1 h 08 min
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Chart positions
Where Public Defenseless ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Sep 28, 2026).
A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.
I’m a California law student interested in working in the criminal justice system, unsure on which side but learning about and listening to various public defender issues is really eye opening. Hunter does a great job with all of his interviews.
Person24 · May 2026
Public Defenseless details how the presumption of innocence is fiction in courtrooms across the country.
While we supposedly have the right to a trial by a jury of our peers, defendants who are largely Black and Latino men, are compelled to take pleas or face lengthy, painful incarceration.
The American justice system as revealed by Public Defenseless is so deeply broken and must be reformed.
rachelm1972 · Mar 2025
As a former Colorado public defender (and still indigent criminal defense attorney), I’m biased in favor of the excellent coverage of issues in Colorado, including the crisis in our state public defender system and the horrors unfolding in municipal courts.
But I also love every episode from elsewhere in the country. It’s so easy for us to be in our silos and forget that there are hundreds of other offices out there facing similar challenges and coming up with innovative solutions. This podcast is a wonderful way to help bring us together and share ideas.
A true public service.
drewmm10 · Mar 2025
If you support the Death Penalty, believe that the US justice system is largely fair, and think that stories of failings are scant exceptions to the rule, this should be your next podcast to listen to. Example after example of the capriciousness of US crime law is presented. Powerful! and Needed. Listening feels like having a backstage pass to monumental court proceedings. Thank you! Highly recommend.
Luckyluckylucky5 · Jan 2024
Great podcast that is thoughtful and helpful. Public defenders need better funding and a limit on clients that need help.
Usernamesux · Jun 2023
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