Stay ConnectedAnyone 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.
Today, Hunter was joined by Jessie Lenhardt, a Management Consultant with Moss Adams. In her time as a consultant, Jessie has helped countless government agencies, including public defenders, improve the organization structures and practices. Today, she joins the show to discuss on her reflections in helping public defender offices implement workload studies.
Guest:
Jessie Lenhardt, Senior Manager, Moss Adams
Resources:
Contact Jessie Here
https://www.mossadams.com/people/jessielenhardt
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessie-lenhardt/
Contact Hunter Parnell:
Publicdefenseless@gmail.com
@PublicDefenselessPodcast
@PDefenselessPod
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Today, Hunter was joined by Olivia Miller and Dallas Anselmo of the Clark County Public Defender Office. They joined to discuss the "corridor court" operating along the Las Vegas Strip. This specialty court, created at the urging of the casinos and resorts, funnels criminal defendants into a singular court room where people can be effectively banished from the entirety of the strip for seemingly minor crimes. In doing so, the corridor court gives casinos the power to unfairly police poverty along the strip.
As a note, the views expressed on today's show by Olivia and Dallas are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Clark County Public Defender Office.
Guest:
Dallas Anselmo, Public Defender, Clark County, Nevada
Olivia Miller, Public Defender, Clark County, Nevada
Resources:
Learn More about the office
https://www.clarkcountynv.gov/government/departments/public_defender/
Learn More about the Courts
https://lasvegassun.com/news/2025/nov/13/nevada-lawmakers-revisit-court-that-barred-offende/
Contact Olivia and Dallas
oliviamiller620@gmail.com
dallasanselmo@gmail.com
Contact Hunter Parnell:
Publicdefenseless@gmail.com
@PublicDefenselessPodcast
@PDefenselessPod
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www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast
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Today, Hunter wraps up 2025 with one last episode!
Guest:
Resources:
Top 10 Episodes of 2025
334 | Was a Former Colorado Public Defender Fired for Raising Concerns over his Workload? w/Travis Weiner
335 | How Sec Def Austin Interfered with the 9/11 and U.S.S. Cole Case Plea Deals w/Allison Miller and Katie Carmon
336 | How the San Mateo Private Defender Program is Trying to Earn Back the Community's Trust w/Lisa Maguire and Harpreet Samra
328 | How the Laken Riley Act Could Get Innocent People Sent to Guantanamo Bay w/Ann Block and Nithya Nathan-Pineau
331 | How the Far West Texas Public Defenders Uncovered a Pattern of Discovery Violations in El Paso w/James McDermott and Paul Chambers
333 | How The American Eugenics Movement Helped Create Habitual Offender Laws w/Daniel Loehr
355 | How Missouri Public Defenders are Leading the Nation In Statewide Holistic Defender Services w/Missouri Public Defenders
322 | The Impact of and the Resistance to Mass Deportation Policies w/Hans Meyer and Holly Lucas
400 | Why the Lawyers Handling 80% of Massachusetts's Public Defender Cases Stopped Taking New Cases w/Shira Diner
316 | The Everyday Cruelty in Westminster Municipal Court w/Alison Gordon
Contact Hunter Parnell:
Publicdefenseless@gmail.com
@PublicDefenselessPodcast
@PDefenselessPod
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Today, Hunter was joined by Mohammed Al Rawi and Ryan Wolfe of ZLS.App. The three discussed how ZLS is helping public defenders improve case management with automated systems. With better case management systems, public defenders are better equipped to collect and track the data that public defenders need to justify their requests to the legislatures.
Guest:
Mohammed Al Rawi, Co-Founder. ZLS.app
Ryan Wolfe, Co-Founder, ZLS.app
Resources:
Find ZLS Here
Contact Hunter Parnell:
Publicdefenseless@gmail.com
@PublicDefenselessPodcast
@PDefenselessPod
Subscribe to the Patreon
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Today, Hunter was joined by the new Chief Public Defender for the state of Missouri, Matthew Crowell. Matthew and Hunter discussed a range of topics that Matthew is now facing as the Chief and how he hopes to tackle them.
Guest:
Matthew Crowell, Chief Public Defender, Missouri
Resources:
Contact the Missouri Public Defender Here
https://publicdefender.mo.gov/
Lawsuit
Contact Hunter Parnell:
Publicdefenseless@gmail.com
@PublicDefenselessPodcast
@PDefenselessPod
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Today, Hunter was joined once again by Stanislaus County Chief Public Defender Jennifer Jennison. Last time she was one the show, Jennifer detailed how she made the decision to make her office unavailable for new cases because of the unethical workload in her office. Now, Jennifer is back to tell us what came of that decision and what is next for the office.
Guest:
Jennifer Jennison, Chief Public Defender, Stanislaus County, California
Resources:
Modesto Bee Reporting
https://www.modbee.com/news/local/article288551423.html
Stanislaus County Public Defender
https://www.stancounty.com/publicdefender/
OSPD Reporting on Public Defense in California
https://www.ospd.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Californias-58-Public-Defense-Systems-Accessible.pdf
Contact Hunter Parnell:
Publicdefenseless@gmail.com
@PublicDefenselessPodcast
@PDefenselessPod
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Trying to find a specific part of an episode? Use this link to search transcripts of every episode of the show!
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Today, Hunter was joined by Bolts Magazine staff writer, Lauren Gill. Back in September, Lauren authored a remarkable piece about how a small county in rural Arkansas responded to the threat of a new prison being built in their back yard.
Guest:
Lauren Gill, Staff Writer, Bolts Mag
Resources:
Check Out Lauren's Work
https://boltsmag.org/authors/lauren-gill/
Read the Article Here
https://boltsmag.org/arkansas-prison-franklin-county/
Contact Hunter Parnell:
Publicdefenseless@gmail.com
@PublicDefenselessPodcast
@PDefenselessPod
Subscribe to the Patreon
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Donate on PayPal
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Today, Hunter was joined by Greg Egan and John Choi. For the first time on the show, a Public Defender and the District Attorney join the show at the same time to describe how their collaborative efforts have improved public safety without mass incarceration.
Guest:
Greg Egan, Public Defender, Ramsey County, Minnesota
John Choi, Elected District Attorney, Ramsey County, Minnesota
Resources:
Contact John
https://www.ramseycountymn.gov/your-government/leadership/county-attorneys-office/meet-john-j-choi
https://www.ramseycountymn.gov/your-government/leadership/county-attorneys-office
john.choi@co.ramsey.mn.us
Contact Greg
linkedin.com/in/greg-egan-2a5a5359
greg.egan@pubdef.state.mn.us
We Resolve
https://weresolve-mn.com/about-us/
Contact Hunter Parnell:
Publicdefenseless@gmail.com
@PublicDefenselessPodcast
@PDefenselessPod
Subscribe to the Patreon
www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast
Donate on PayPal
https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=5KW7WMJWEXTAJ
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Trying to find a specific part of an episode? Use this link to search transcripts of every episode of the show!
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Today, Hunter was joined once again by Andrew Davies and Shelby Sirivore of the Deason Center. This time, the two join the show to help us understand the policy decisions that local governments make that increase or decrease the likelihood that a person who cannot afford an attorney will actually get one appointed if they want it.
Guest:
Andrew Davies, Director of Research, Deason Center, Southern Methodist University
Shelby Sirivore, Contractor, Deason Center, Southern Methodist University
Resources:
Read the Report
https://scholar.smu.edu/deasoncenter/18/
Read more from the Deason Center
https://scholar.smu.edu/deasoncenter/
Check out Deason's New Website
Contact Hunter Parnell:
Publicdefenseless@gmail.com
@PublicDefenselessPodcast
@PDefenselessPod
Subscribe to the Patreon
www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast
Donate on PayPal
https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=5KW7WMJWEXTAJ
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Trying to find a specific part of an episode? Use this link to search transcripts of every episode of the show!
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Today, Hunter was joined by Los Angeles Deputy Public Defender Noah Coax. Noah leads the office's Neurocognitive Disorder Team that has charted a new path for public defenders to properly represent clients with cognitive impairments.
Guest:
Noah Cox, Deputy Public Defender, Neurocognitive Disorder Team, Los Angeles Public Defender
Resources:
More About NDT
https://pubdef.lacounty.gov/gold-eagle-award/
https://www.npr.org/2025/11/01/nx-s1-5582617/cognitive-disabilities-diversion
https://time.com/6311088/forgiving-johnny-documentary/
Contact the Office and Noah Here
NCox@pubdef.lacounty.gov
https://pubdef.lacounty.gov/
https://www.instagram.com/lapubdef/
https://www.facebook.com/LACOUNTYPD/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/lapubdef
Contact Hunter Parnell:
Publicdefenseless@gmail.com
@PublicDefenselessPodcast
@PDefenselessPod
Subscribe to the Patreon
www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast
Donate on PayPal
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Donate on Stripe
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Trying to find a specific part of an episode? Use this link to search transcripts of every episode of the show!
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