Chief Attorney Matt Gonzalez argued in court that the judge has no authority to order the Public Defender’s Office to take on more felony cases, warning such an order would violate attorneys’ limits and clients’ constitutional rights.
Closing arguments in the murder trial of Kevin Epps concluded Tuesday morning in San Francisco Superior Court, with the defense arguing that the prosecution failed to prove that Epps did not act in fear when he used force against an intruder in his home, and a petition calling for the charges to be dismissed has gained nearly 600 signatures.
The trial of Kevin Epps has exposed the manipulation of truth in the pursuit of conviction, highlighting the need for a justice system that is credible and trustworthy.
The San Francisco Public Defender’s Office argued that it does not have the capacity to take on additional felony cases due to excessive caseloads, and warned that any court order compelling it to do so would undermine supervision and risk constitutional violations.
The defense argued that the late disclosure of critical evidence in an eight-year-old DUI case violated the accused’s right to a speedy and fair trial, but the judge denied the motion to dismiss, citing the accused’s multiple bench warrants and participation in a diversion program.
Assistant District Attorney Ana Gonzalez argued that the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office improperly declared itself unavailable to take on more cases, while Assistant Chief Attorney Hadi Razzaq defended the office’s staffing decisions and argued that the crisis is an emergency.
San Francisco Public Defender Mano Raju has accused District Attorney Brooke Jenkins of flooding the courts with “frivolous and unsubstantiated cases”, leading to an overwhelming caseload for public defenders and a backlog of criminal cases.
The Vanguard has deployed interns to monitor and report on court proceedings in San Francisco, uncovering examples of overcharging, racial disparities, and excessive bail, and is seeking to expand this model statewide and nationally to create transparency and accountability in the criminal legal system.
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