Public Defenseless

On this episode, Hunter welcomes back Richard Mauro, executive director of the Salt Lake Legal Defender Association. Richard explains how his office built Project Rio, a program that connects people experiencing homelessness with services instead of jail. Richard and Hunter also dig into how state-level criminal justice policy is piling workload pressure onto public defenders, and why that pressure may not be sustainable.
Guest:
Richard Mauro, Executive Director, Salt Lake Legal Defender Association, Utah
Resource:
Contact the Office Here:
https://www.sllda.com/


Public Defenseless Links and Contact

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https://linktr.ee/pdefenselesspodcast 
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.

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 
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 
 
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.

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 
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 
 
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.

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:     
Contact Hunter Parnell: 
Publicdefenseless@gmail.com 
Instagram: @PublicDefenselessPodcast 
YouTube: @publicdefenselesspodcast 
Facebook: Public Defenseless Podcast 
Bluesky: @pdefenselesspod.bsky.social 
Twitter: @PDefenselessPod 
Website: www.publicdefenseless.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!
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*** ALL OPINONS SHARED BY HOST HUNTER PARNELL DO NOT REFLECT THE THOUGHTS OR OPINIONS OF THE AURORA MUNICIPAL PUBLIC DEFENDER***

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

Read More About the Drones Here:
https://www.404media.co/new-orleans-cops-published-policy-document-allowing-weaponized-drones/

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 
 
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.