Free Daily Podcast Summary
Public Defenseless: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Hunter Parnell
Anyone 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. Like so many of you, Hunter is not an attorney, simply tired of a news cycle and talking heads that offer no real solutions to the ever-growing list of problems we face. Hunter hopes that with this information, you will share his belief that ordinary people still can make a difference.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- Yesterday58 min
501 | Why Public Defenders Need the Insights and Expertise of Formerly Incarcerated People in Their Offices w/Jennifer Jennison and Sammy Provencio
Hunter is joined once again by Jennifer Jennison and joining us for the first time is Sammy Provencio. After spending more than 30 years in custody, Sammy has joined the Stanislaus County Public Defender Office to help run their newest community-centred initiative, the Hub. Jennifer and Sammy join the show to share what the Hub is, what it does, and to share the power of having formerly incarcerated people work in a Public Defender Office. Guest: Jennifer Jennison, Chief Public Defender, Stanislaus County, California Sammy Provencio, Client Support Specialist, Group Facilitator, Stanislaus County, California Resource: Learn More Here https://www.stancounty.com/publicdefender/ https://www.instagram.com/p/DVhDRWsEoYD/ https://www.facebook.com/thehubcenterforchange/ Contact Hunter Parnell: Publicdefenseless@gmail.com Instagram<span lang="EN-GB" style= "font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language:
- 6 days ago55 min
500 | Public Defense is Underfunded, but by How Much? Putting a Conservative Number on the Cost of the Right to Counsel w/Ben Polk
Hunter is joined by Ben Polk, Director of the Transformative Justice Project at New York University School of Law, Robert and Helen Bernstein Institute for Human Rights to discuss a recent law review article he authored where he conservatively estimated it would cost $28 billion to fund Public Defense nationwide. Guest: Ben Polk, Director, Transformative Justice Project and Research Scholar, New York University School of Law, Robert and Helen Bernstein Institute for Human Rights, Resource: Read the Article Here https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=6359060 Ben's Faculty Page https://www.law.nyu.edu/centers/bernstein-institute/team Contact Hunter Parnell: Publicdefenseless@gmail.com <span lang="EN-GB" xml:lang=
- 1 weeks ago1h 8m
499 | When Delays in the Appointment of Counsel Violate the Constitution w/Eve Primus
Today, Hunter was joined once again by Professor Eve Primus to discuss another excellent law review article about Public Defense. This time, Professor Primus details how delays in the appointment of counsel can and do create Constitutional violations that PDs can challenge. Guest: Eve Primus, Professor of Law, University of Michigan Resource: Read the Article Here https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=6288018 Contact Eve https://michigan.law.umich.edu/faculty-and-scholarship/our-faculty/eve-brensike-primus MDefenders https://michigan.law.umich.edu/mdefenders Contact Hunter Parnell: <p class="MsoNorm
- 1 weeks ago53 min
498 | How the Allegheny County Public Defender is Getting their Clients Out of Custody and into Care w/Alena Chulick
Today, Hunter was joined by Alena Chulick, the Co-Founder and Project Manager of Project Rehabilitate out of the Allegheny County Public Defender. Thanks to a federal grant, Project Rehabilitate has been able to keep people out of custody and kept them in the care they need to get back on their feet. Guest: Alena Chulick, Co-Founder and Project Manager, Project Rehabilitate, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Resource: Project Rehabilitate https://www.alleghenycounty.us/Government/Court-Related/Public-Defender/Project-Rehabilitate Allegheny County PD Website https://www.alleghenycounty.us/Government/Court-Related/Public-Defender\ Contact Hunter Parnell: Publicdefenseless@gmail.com Instagram @PublicDefenselessPodcast <span style= "font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New
- 2 weeks ago1h 2m
497 | How Did the Tribal Defenders Office of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Build a Model Holistic Defender Service w/Ann Miller, Susette Billedeaux, and Josh Cahoon
Today, Hunter was joined by Ann Miller, Susette Billedeaux, and Josh Cahoon from the Tribal Defenders Office of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. They joined the show to the tell the history of this office and how they've built it into a model holistic office. Guest: Ann Miller, Managing Attorney, Tribal Defenders Office of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Montana Susette Billedeaux, Holistic Programming Director Tribal Defenders Office of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Montana Josh Cahoon, Lead Case Manager Tribal Defenders Office of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Montana Resource: https://cskt.org/tribal-defenders-office/ Contact Hunter Parnell: <span style= "font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-fami
- 2 weeks ago55 min
496 | Why the Lawyers Handling 80% of Massachusetts's Public Defender Cases Stopped Taking New Cases Part 2 w/Shira Diner
Today, Hunter was joined once again by Professor Shira Diner. Last time she was on the show, she explained why the bar advocates in Massachusetts stopped accepting new cases. This time, she joins to explain how the Legislature and Judiciary responded and what comes next for the state. Guest: Shira Diner, Professor of Law, Boston University Resource: Read the Case Here https://statecourtreport.org/case-tracker/committee-public-counsel-services-v-middlesex-and-suffolk-county-district-courts Updated Coverage https://www.wgbh.org/news/local/2026-03-17/following-high-court-ruling-mass-bar-advocates-turn-to-lobbying-lawmakers https://www.masslive.com/news/2026/05/defense-lawyers-sue-over-mass-law-they-say-stops-them-from-fighting-for-better-pay.html https://www.bostonherald.com/2026/04/04/massachusetts-continues-to-address-bar-advocate-shortage-with-incentive-plan/ <st
- 3 weeks ago1h 16m
495 | Will a Severe Budget Deficit in Santa Clara County Require the Public Defender to Stop Taking New Cases? w/Damon Silver
Today, Hunter was joined by Damon Silver Chief Defender of the Santa Clara County Public Defender. Home to Silicon Valley, Santa Clara County is struggling with a large budget deficit due to federal budget cuts. As such, the Public Defender Office has lost full time positions and is facing a severe workload crisis. Guest: Damon Silver, Chief Public Defender, Santa Clara County, California Resource: Read More Here https://sanjosespotlight.com/santa-clara-county-public-defenders-crushed-by-caseloads/ https://www.sfgate.com/news/bayarea/article/san-jose-spotlight-santa-clara-county-public-22236000.php Contact Hunter Parnell: Publicdefenseless@gmail.com Instagram @PublicDefenselessPodcast <span lang="EN-G
- 3 weeks ago1h 7m
494 | Why did the Spokane County Public Defenders Sue the County Over New Workload Requirements? w/Colin Charbonneau and Victoria Blumhorst
Today, Hunter was joined by Colin Charbonneau and Victoria Blumhorst, two Public Defender leaders from Spokane, Washington. They joined the show to explain why they decided to sue their county over the workload standards the county recently imposed. Guest: Colin Charbonneau, Director, Spokane County Public Defenders, Washington Victoria Blumhorst, Director, Counsel for Defense, Spokane, Washington Resource: Read the Complaint Here https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1j9QTRxm6VXpiZQTmvdkgY9HHwgauBt_L?usp=drive_link Read more about the story here https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2026/may/11/public-defenders-sue-spokane-county-over-work-stan/ https://www.kxly.com/news/public-defenders-sue-spokane-county-over-excessive-caseloads/article_fc46807b-d0f0-4171-9533-0c5acdf2a59f.html https://www.inlander.com/news/spokane-county-public-defenders-challenge-their-caseloads-in-court-and-at-the-bargaining-table/article_e883ca3a-4f51-4373-959c-2684f35ccf31.html <a href= "https://www.spokanecounty.gov/m/newsflash/home/d
About Public Defenseless
Anyone 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. Like so many of you, Hunter is not an attorney, simply tired of a news cycle and talking heads that offer no real solutions to the ever-growing list of problems we face. Hunter hopes that with this information, you will share his belief that ordinary people still can make a difference.
Customized Recaps
AI-powered recaps with compact key takeaways, quotes, and insights.
Straight to Your Inbox
Get key takeaways from Public Defenseless in a 5-minute read.
Save Hours Every Week
Stay current on your favorite podcasts without falling behind.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Podzilla's Public Defenseless daily summary?
It's a free AI-powered email that summarizes new episodes of Public Defenseless as soon as they're published. You get the key takeaways, notable quotes, and links & mentions — all in a quick read.
How does the Public Defenseless podcast summary work?
When a new episode drops, our AI transcribes and analyzes it, then generates a personalized summary tailored to your interests and profession. It's delivered to your inbox every morning.
Is this an official Public Defenseless product?
No. Podzilla is an independent service that summarizes publicly available podcast content. We're not affiliated with or endorsed by Hunter Parnell.
Can I get summaries of other podcasts too?
Absolutely! The free plan covers up to 3 podcasts. Upgrade to Pro for 15, or Premium for 50. Browse our full catalog at /podcasts.
How often does Public Defenseless release new episodes?
Public Defenseless publishes every few days. Our AI generates a summary within hours of each new episode.
What topics does Public Defenseless cover?
Public Defenseless covers topics including News, Government, Politics. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
Start getting Public Defenseless summaries tomorrow morning.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.