Public Defenseless

Today, Hunter was joined by Maine's Frayla Tarpinian, the new Executive Director of Maine's Commission on Public Defense Services.
 
 
Guest:
Frayla Tarpinian, Executive Director, Maine Commission on Public Defense
 
Resources:
Website
https://www.maine.gov/pds/
 
Coverage of the Shortfall
https://mainemorningstar.com/2026/02/04/facing-imminent-13m-shortfall-committee-advances-bill-to-shore-up-public-defense-services/
https://www.mainesenate.org/senate-gives-initial-support-to-sen-carney-bill-to-fund-public-defense-services-protect-constitutional-rights/  
 
Sign up for the ABA Public Defender Summit
https://events.americanbar.org/event/12d07164-1011-4723-9352-e8e3168db945/welcome
 
 
Contact Hunter Parnell:                                
[email protected] 
Instagram
@PublicDefenselessPodcast
Twitter                                                                
@PDefenselessPod
www.publicdefenseless.com 
Subscribe to the Patreon
www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast
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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!
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****

Today, Hunter was joined by Kyle Giddings and Rebecca Wallace to discuss how tough on crime types shape Colorado criminal justice policy. From the outside looking in, one could be forgiven for thinking that Colorado is one of the most progressive states in the country. After all, it was one of the few places in America that broke towards the left in the 2024 election. Despite the complete control of the government by the Democratic party, Colorado still pursues tough on crime policies. Today, Hunter and guests try and explain how that happens.  
 
 
Guest:
Kyle Giddings, Deputy Director, Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition
Rebecca Wallace, Policy Director, Colorado Freedom Fund
 
Resources:
CFF Website and Policy Pages
https://www.coloradofreedomfund.org/denver-muni-reform-toolkit
https://www.coloradofreedomfund.org/2026-legislation
 
CCJRC Website
https://www.ccjrc.org/
 
** Correction. During the episode, Hunter stated that the report by Dustin Zvonek was shared in the Denver Post. It was actually shared via Denver 7 ABC. The article is linked below**
 
ABC 7 Reporting on Housing First
https://www.denver7.com/news/local-news/colorado-ranks-among-top-10-states-for-homelessness-driven-by-drugs-not-housing-costs
 
Sign up for the ABA Public Defender Summit
https://events.americanbar.org/event/12d07164-1011-4723-9352-e8e3168db945/welcome
 
 
Contact Hunter Parnell:                                
[email protected] 
Instagram
@PublicDefenselessPodcast
Twitter                                                                
@PDefenselessPod
www.publicdefenseless.com 
Subscribe to the Patreon
www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast
 Donate on PayPal
https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=5KW7WMJWEXTAJ
Donate on Stripe
https://donate.stripe.com/7sI01tb2v3dwaM8cMN
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****

Today, Hunter was joined by René Ropac of the Data Collaborative for Justice to discuss their newest report on the impacts, or lack thereof, of New York's bail reforms.
 
 
Guest:
René Ropac, Senior Research Associate, Data Collaborative for Justice
 
Resources:
Read the Report
https://datacollaborativeforjustice.org/work/bail-reform/examining-the-impact-of-eliminating-bail-on-recidivism-in-the-new-york-city-suburbs-and-upstate-regions-a-difference-in-differences-study/
Contact Rene
https://datacollaborativeforjustice.org/staff/rene-ropac/
 
Learn More about DCJ
https://datacollaborativeforjustice.org/
 
 
Sign up for the ABA Public Defender Summit
https://events.americanbar.org/event/12d07164-1011-4723-9352-e8e3168db945/welcome
 
 
Contact Hunter Parnell:                                
[email protected] 
Instagram
@PublicDefenselessPodcast
Twitter                                                                
@PDefenselessPod
www.publicdefenseless.com 
Subscribe to the Patreon
www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast
 Donate on PayPal
https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=5KW7WMJWEXTAJ
Donate on Stripe
https://donate.stripe.com/7sI01tb2v3dwaM8cMN
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

Today, Hunter was joined by three people, Maggie Bott, Brandon Garcia, and Bob Kolstad, who have lived through the federal occupation of Minneapolis. They join the show to detail what ICE, CBP, and DHS have been doing in the city and how the city has organized and resisted those efforts.
 
Guest:
Brandon Garcia, Policy Aide to City Council President Elliot Page, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Maggie Bott, Public Defender, Hennepin County, Minnesota
Bob Kolstad, Public Defender, Hennepin County, Minnesota
 
Resources:
Mutual Aid to Minnesota
https://www.standwithminnesota.com/
https://defend612.com/
 
 
Sign up for the ABA Public Defender Summit
https://events.americanbar.org/event/12d07164-1011-4723-9352-e8e3168db945/welcome
 
 
Contact Hunter Parnell:                                
[email protected] 
Instagram
@PublicDefenselessPodcast
Twitter                                                                
@PDefenselessPod
www.publicdefenseless.com 
Subscribe to the Patreon
www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast
 Donate on PayPal
https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=5KW7WMJWEXTAJ
Donate on Stripe
https://donate.stripe.com/7sI01tb2v3dwaM8cMN
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

Today, Hunter spoke with Matthew Guariglia, a historian, scholar, and author of the book Police and the Empire City: Race and the Origins of Modern Policing in New York. In it, Matthew walks the read through the early history of the New York Police Department. By learning this history, the hope is that people understand what some of the essential characteristics of American policing are. Hopefully by understanding the essential characteristics, people can fully understand how and why police operate they way they do.   
 
Guest:
Matthew Guariglia, Historian, Scholar, Author, Police and the Empire City: Race and the Origins of Modern Policing in New York
Resources:
Contact and Read more from Matthew Here
https://www.matthewguariglia.com/
https://bsky.app/profile/mguariglia.bsky.social
https://www.instagram.com/mguarig/
https://www.eff.org/about/staff/dr-matthew-guariglia-0
Pick up a Copy of the Book Here
https://www.dukeupress.edu/police-and-the-empire-city
 
 
Sign up for the ABA Public Defender Summit
https://events.americanbar.org/event/12d07164-1011-4723-9352-e8e3168db945/welcome
 
 
Contact Hunter Parnell:                                
[email protected] 
Instagram
@PublicDefenselessPodcast
Twitter                                                                
@PDefenselessPod
www.publicdefenseless.com 
Subscribe to the Patreon
www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast
 Donate on PayPal
https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=5KW7WMJWEXTAJ
Donate on Stripe
https://donate.stripe.com/7sI01tb2v3dwaM8cMN
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