Anyone paying attention can tell you that our criminal legal system perpetuates cruelty and harm, but the complexity of the legal world overwhelms most people just trying to get through another day.
Public Defenseless explores the rot in the system and what we can do about it. Host Hunter Parnell talks with defense attorneys, advocates, scholars and journalists from across the country as they pull apart the system's convoluted web.
Disclaimer: Hunter Parnell hosts Public Defenseless in his personal capacity. The views expressed by the host and guests are their own and do not represent the Aurora Municipal Public Defender or any guest's employer. Nothing on this show is legal advice, and listening does not create an attorney-client relationship. If you are facing criminal charges, talk to a lawyer.
Latest episodes
Showing 20 · updated from the feed
Bonus: Vote No on Proposition 132, the Colorado Fentanyl Measure From a Conservative Dark Money Group, with Kyle Giddings
On this episode, Hunter is joined once again by Kyle Giddings, the Deputy Director of the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition and the Campaign Chair for Vote no on
Oct 16 37 min
526 | How Public Defenders can use New Second Amendment Supreme Court Case to Win Self-Defense Claims w/Jacob Charles
On this episode, Hunter is joined once again by Professor Jacob Charles. Last time Jacob was on the show, he and Hunter discussed the groundbreaking Second Amendment case
Oct 15 1 h 05 min
525 | Will Police Soon be Deploying Armed Autonomous Drones to a Neighborhood Near You? w/Matthew Guariglia
On this episode, Hunter is joined once again by Matthew Guariglia. At his work at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Matthew has become one of the leading voices soundin
Oct 14 42 min
524 | How Police and Their Unions Became One of the Most Powerful Forces in American Politics w/Stuart Schrader
On this episode, Hunter is joined by Professor Stuart Schrader to discuss his book Blue Power: How Police Organized to Protect and Serve Themselves. In his book, Stuart w
Oct 13 1 h 11 min
523 | How the Number One Tool for Mass Deportations Might be Unconstitutional w/Eric Fish
On this episode, Hunter speaks once again with Professor Eric Fish about a law review article he published about our immigration system. Since it was implemented in 1996,
Oct 8 56 min
522 | After Nearly Two Decades as an Immigration Judge, Why Did She Decide to Leave Under the Second Trump Administration? w/Judge Mimi Tsankov
On this episode, Hunter speaks with Judge Mimi Tsankov, former president of the National Association of Immigration Judges (NAIJ). Over nearly two decades on the bench, s
Oct 6 57 min
521 | How the Media is Missing What is Really Causing Alaska's Legal System to Fail w/Amanda Harber and David Case
In this episode, Hunter speaks with two criminal defense lawyers and former Public Defenders from the state of Alaska, Amanda Harber and David Case. For the entire 21st C
Oct 1 1 h 00 min
520 | Can Prisons be Reformed? What History Tells Us About the Failed Attempts w/C.J. Ciaramella
On this episode, Hunter is joined by C.J. Ciaramella of Reason. Recently, C.J. authored an article for Reason that provides an overview of different eras of prison policy
Sep 30 1 h 05 min
519 | How the Maryland Defender Union is Organizing for Better Working Conditions, Pay, and Workloads w/Rachel Kiefer, Alexis Rossetti, and Kalia Woods
On this episode, Hunter speaks with three members of the Maryland Defender Union, Rachel Kierfer, Alexis Rossetti, and Kalia Woods. They join to explain the recent victor
Sep 29 1 h 19 min
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 speaks once again with Chesa Boudin. This time, the two discussed a new commission in California tasked with studying the best path forward for a
Sep 17 47 min
515 | How Public Defense is Failing in Rural California w/Rio Scharf and Josh Schwartz
On 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 speaks with Jasper Craven, author of the book God Forgives, Brothers Don't: The Long March of Military Education and the Making of American Manhoo
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
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Where Public Defenseless ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Oct 18, 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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