Public Defenseless - Hunter Parnell

Latest Episodes:

527 | Why it is so Important for Public Defenders to Expand the Right to Counsel to Family Defense w/Kelly Driscoll Oct 20, 2026

Show notes

On this episode, Hunter speaks with Kelly Driscoll. As the Bureau Chief for the Family Defense Unit of the Montana Public Defender, Kelly is responsible for overseeing the defense of parents and kids in the family legal system. She joins the show to explain how Montana set up this system and why it is so important for Public Defenders to do more than just criminal defense.

Guest:

Kelly Driscoll, Family Defense Bureau Chief, Montana State Public Defender

Resource:

Learn More About the Office Here:https://publicdefender.mt.gov/

Case Law on the right to counsel in Family Court in Montana

https://civilrighttocounsel.org/major_developments/montana-parents-have-constitutional-right-to-counsel-in-adoptions-says-high-court/

https://civilrighttocounsel.org/uploaded_files/183/4_AWS_Opinion_published.pdf

https://www.leagle.com/decision/1993979852p2d1271976

Public Defenseless Links and Contact Get each new episode a day early on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast

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Website: https://www.publicdefenseless.com Contact the show: publicdefenseless@gmail.com

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.

Bonus: Vote No on Proposition 132, the Colorado Fentanyl Measure From a Conservative Dark Money Group, with Kyle Giddings Oct 16, 2026

Show notes

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 132. These two sat down to discuss the Colorado Ballot Initiative, Prop 132, another attempt by the Colorado Conservative dark money group, Advance Colorado, to restart the war on drugs.

Guest:Kyle Giddings, the Deputy Director of the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition and the Campaign Chair for Vote no on 132, Colorado

Resource:

Learn More about Prop 132: https://noon132.com/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=24337605029&gbraid=0AAAABE7pyO0T69Hy4YQZljkynzrlV47kC&gclid=CjwKCAjwrbfWBhAeEiwAc2e6PhFJoWANSo08mY0SACwL77PJbarugzIUGIfmWL7MdWwyezCRifv-ZxoCM7IQAvD_BwE

Learn More about Advance Colorado: https://www.whoisadvancecolorado.org/

https://www.coloradopolitics.com/2026/10/11/the-most-influential-republican-in-the-state-doesnt-hold-office-6/

https://www.denverpost.com/2026/10/08/advance-colorado-ballot-measures-election-2026/

https://coloradonewsline.com/2026/09/17/warp-democracy-in-colorado/

Public Defenseless Links and Contact Get each new episode a day early on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast

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Website: https://www.publicdefenseless.com Contact the show: publicdefenseless@gmail.com

526 | How Public Defenders can use New Second Amendment Supreme Court Case to Win Self-Defense Claims w/Jacob Charles Oct 15, 2026

Show notes

On this episode, Hunter was joined once again by Professor Jacob Charles. Last time Jacob was on the show, he and Hunter discussed the groundbreaking Second Amendment cases of Bruen and Rahimi. This time, Jacob sat down to examine the two newest Supreme Court Second Amendment Cases Wolford and Hemani and detail what these cases could mean for criminal defense lawyers.

Guest:

Jacob Charles, Professor of Law, Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law

Resource:

Contact Jacob Here

https://law.pepperdine.edu/faculty-research/jacob-charles/

https://bsky.app/profile/jacobdcharles.bsky.social

Read the Cases Here

Hemani

https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/24-1234_g2bh.pdf

Wolford

https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/24-1046_nmio.pdf

Public Defenders of D.C. Filings

https://efile.dcappeals.gov/public/caseView.do?csIID=67629&utm

https://www.dccourts.gov/sites/default/files/oral-arguments/Amicus%20Curiae%20Brief%2023-CF-514.pdf

Contact Hunter Parnell:

Publicdefenseless@gmail.com

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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!

https://app.reduct.video/o/eca54fbf9f/p/d543070e6a/share/c34e85194394723d4131/home

*** ALL OPINONS SHARED BY HOST HUNTER PARNELL DO NOT REFLECT THE THOUGHTS OR OPINIONS OF THE AURORA MUNICIPAL PUBLIC DEFENDER***

525 | Will Police Soon be Deploying Armed Autonomous Drones to a Neighborhood Near You? w/Matthew Guariglia Oct 14, 2026

Show notes

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 sounding the alarms about the proliferation of mass surveillance technology. Now, Matthew is here to discuss a new, frightening technology that may be coming to a neighborhood near you: Armed Autonomous Drones.

Guest:

Matthew Guariglia, Senior Policy Analyst, Electronic Frontier Foundation

Resource:

Follow Matthew's Work Here:https://www.eff.org/about/staff/dr-matthew-guariglia-0 https://www.matthewguariglia.com/ https://bsky.app/profile/mguariglia.bsky.social

Public Defenseless Links and Contact Get each new episode a day early on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast

Search past episode transcripts: https://app.reduct.video/o/eca54fbf9f/p/d543070e6a/share/c34e85194394723d4131/home

Follow and support the show, plus all our links: https://linktr.ee/pdefenselesspodcast

Website: https://www.publicdefenseless.com Contact the show: publicdefenseless@gmail.com

524 | How Police and Their Unions Became One of the Most Powerful Forces in American Politics w/Stuart Schrader Oct 13, 2026

Show notes

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 walks readers through the long history of how police departments around the country organized themselves to create some of the most influential organizations in all of American politics.

Guest:

Stuart Schrader, Associate Professor of History, Johns Hopkins University

Resource:

Pick up a Copy of the Book Here:https://shorturl.at/O0yaq

Follow Stuart Here:https://bsky.app/profile/stschrader1.bsky.social https://soc.jhu.edu/directory/stuart-schrader/

Public Defenseless Links and Contact Get each new episode a day early on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast

Search past episode transcripts: https://app.reduct.video/o/eca54fbf9f/p/d543070e6a/share/c34e85194394723d4131/home

Follow and support the show, plus all our links: https://linktr.ee/pdefenselesspodcast

Website: https://www.publicdefenseless.com Contact the show: publicdefenseless@gmail.com

523 | How the Number One Tool for Mass Deportations Might be Unconstitutional w/Eric Fish Oct 08, 2026

Show notes

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, expedited removal has become the number one tool for deportations in America. However, Eric is here to explain how the whole system might be unconstitutional and ripe for challenge.

Guest:

Eric Fish, Professor of Law, UC Davis School of Law

Resource:

Read Eric's Article Here

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=6568060

Contact Eric

https://law.ucdavis.edu/people/eric-fish Show note: Hunter mentions a U.S. citizen deported to Mexico after agents refused to let him get his birth certificate. That's Brian José Morales García, born in Denver and deported in April 2026 after a traffic stop in Texas. He returned to the United States on Aug. 30, 2026, after the federal government reached an agreement with his lawyers in his lawsuit. Read the Texas Tribune's reporting: https://www.texastribune.org/2026/04/23/texas-united-states-citizen-deported-ice-detention-brian-morales/ https://www.texastribune.org/2026/08/30/texas-us-citizen-deported-central-texas-returns-america/

Public Defenseless Links and Contact Get each new episode a day early on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast

Search past episode transcripts: https://app.reduct.video/o/eca54fbf9f/p/d543070e6a/share/c34e85194394723d4131/home

Follow and support the show, plus all our links: https://linktr.ee/pdefenselesspodcast

Website: https://www.publicdefenseless.com Contact the show: publicdefenseless@gmail.com

522 | After Nearly Two Decades as an Immigration Judge, Why Did She Decide to Leave Under the Second Trump Administration? w/Judge Mimi Tsankov Oct 06, 2026

Show notes

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, she served under five administrations and led the association that speaks for the country's immigration judges. Now she joins the show to explain what's broken in a court system that answers to the Justice Department, and why she decided to leave.

Guest: Judge Mimi Tsankov, Former President, National Association of Immigration Judges

Resources: Judge Tsankov's website: https://neutralstrategy.com National Association of Immigration Judges: https://www.naij-usa.org/ TRAC Immigration: https://tracreports.org/immigration/reports/judgereports/00291NYC/index.html

Public Defenseless Links and Contact Get each new episode a day early on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast

Search past episode transcripts: https://app.reduct.video/o/eca54fbf9f/p/d543070e6a/share/c34e85194394723d4131/home

Follow and support the show, plus all our links: https://linktr.ee/pdefenselesspodcast

Website: https://www.publicdefenseless.com Contact the show: publicdefenseless@gmail.com

521 | How the Media is Missing What is Really Causing Alaska's Legal System to Fail w/Amanda Harber and David Case Oct 01, 2026

Show notes

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 Century, the Alaska Legal System has been in a crisis. Too few lawyers. Too much space to cover. And recently, a tough on crime Governor who has pushed to solve social problems with incarceration. Along the way, many in the media have missed what is causing the Alaska legal system to fail.

Guest:

Amanda Harber, Criminal Defense Lawyer and Former Public Defender, Alaska

David Case, Criminal Defense Lawyer and Former Public Defender, Alaska

Resource: