Public Defenseless

Today, Hunter spoke once again with Rob Poggenklass and Bryan Kennedy from Justice Forward Virginia. Last year, Justice Forward Virginia joined the show to discuss the 2025 criminal justice policies being floated in Virginia. Today, Rob and Bryan are here to discuss what the 2026 legislative session has in store for criminal justice reform in Virginia, and how things might be different now that the Dems control all three branches of government. 
 
Guest
Rob Poggenklass, Executive Director, Justice Forward Virginia
Bryan Kennedy, Public Defender, Fairfax County, Treasurer, Justice Forward Virginia
 
Resources:
Justice Forward Virginia 2026 Legislative Priorities
https://justiceforwardva.com/issues-2 
Justice Forward Virginia Socials
https://www.facebook.com/JusticeForwardVa
https://x.com/justicefwdva 
https://www.instagram.com/justicefwdva
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDC0qXV1Mbx27ibJXgy28uQ 
 
Sign up for the ABA Public Defender Summit
https://events.americanbar.org/event/12d07164-1011-4723-9352-e8e3168db945/welcome
 
Contact Hunter Parnell:                                
[email protected] 
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@PublicDefenselessPodcast
Twitter                                                                
@PDefenselessPod
www.publicdefenseless.com 
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www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast
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Today, Hunter was joined by Stephen Saloom, the Director of Concerts of Indigent Defense. He joined the show to discuss Concerts for Indigent Defense and the share with us the lessons he has learned over a career of advocating for and passing criminal justice reform policies.
 
Guest:
Stephen Saloom, Director, Concert for Indigent Defense
 
Resources:
Learn More About Concerts for Indigent Defense
https://concertsforindigentdefense.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
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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 Samantha Pourciau of the Promise of Justice Initiative to discuss litigation they are brining to end the "Farm Line" at Angola State Prison. On previous episodes, the show has explored how Louisiana's mass incarceration system is rooted in the state's slave holding, colonial past. Few practices are more reminiscent of that past than the "farm line." This immoral practice forces men to labor in brutal, dangerous conditions for the sole purpose of sadistic punishment. Samantha joins the show to discuss their upcoming trial that aims to end the practice once and for all.
 
Guest:
Samantha Pourciau, Senior Staff Attorney, Promise of Justice Initiative
 
Resources:
Read the report
Punitive by Design: The Farm Line at Louisiana State Penitentiary  
More Coverage on the Suit
https://promiseofjustice.org/news/incarcerated-farm-line-workers-win-class-certification
https://vimeo.com/877204358?fl=pl&fe=sh
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5fe0e9cce6e50722511b03cc/t/66fc02c82b34224736f02cf5/1743624596616/2024.09.30+RELEASE+Farm+Line+Class+Cert+Filed.pdf
https://www.wwno.org/law/2026-01-13/angola-prison-farm-line-suit-becomes-class-action
Read the Complaint
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5fe0e9cce6e50722511b03cc/t/66427a930927131a043029e9/1715632788191/21%2C+2023.12.15+AMENDED+COMPLAINT.pdf
Find PJI's Socials
https://www.instagram.com/justicespromise/
https://www.facebook.com/promiseofjustice
https://www.facebook.com/promiseofjustice
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMj-FFyyoOf-u0WbH-A6AGg
https://www.linkedin.com/company/pjinola
 
 
 
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!
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Today, Hunter was joined by Ali Bloomquist and Cherise Fanno Burdeen PhD about their new paper titled "Emotion First Theory & Practice: Emotional Intelligence as Foundational Infrastructure for Equity Practice." In it, Ali and Cherise detail the importance of making the development of Emotional Intelligence as something that public defender systems and organizations need to prioritize. Without a system based approach, public defender's alone cannot be expected to develop the emotional intelligence needed to meet the needs of the communities they serve.
 
Guest:
Ali Bloomquist, Public Defender, Co-Founder, EIDEIA Institute
Cherise Fanno Burdeen PhD, Community Psychologist, Co-Founder, EIDEIA Institute
 
Resources:
EIDEIA Website
https://www.eideia.org/
[email protected]
 
Register for the Webinar Here
https://www.eideia.org/trainings
 
 
 
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
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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 the American Immigration Council's Aaron Reichlin-Melnick to discuss a new report published by AIC. Over the past two years, the Trump administration has rapidly expanded the use of and capacity of immigration detention. Aaron joins to detail how this has happened, what might come next, and the best ways to prevent it in the future.
 
Guest:
Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, Senior Fellow, American Immigration Council
Resources:
Read the Report
https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/report/immigration-detention/
Contact Aaron
https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/authors/aaron-reichlin-melnick/
 https://x.com/ReichlinMelnick?lang=en
https://bsky.app/profile/reichlinmelnick.bsky.social
 
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