Aider and Abettor Podcast

On this episode of the pod, we talk all about Proposition 25 and what pretrial justice would look like in a Prop. 25 world. To do this, we get together with Carlie Ware (@carlieware11) and Carson White. Carlie and Carson specialize in pretrial release advocacy and pre-arraignment representation.

Omniboi composed the intro and outro for this pod.

Send us your thoughts on Prop. 25 (@thesajidkhan @avanindar @aiderandabettor)

In this episode, Sajid and guest host Sarah Ruby (fellow pd out of San Jose) interview Assemblymember Ash Kalra (twitter @ash_kalra) about the Racial Justice Act (https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB2542) https://sanjosespotlight.com/san-jose-legislators-racial-justice-act-passes-senate-committee/

The bill passed the legislature and is on Governor Newsom's desk. To support the AB 2542, write the governor, call in, or post to social media #2542 #confrontracism

The intro and outro are by Omniboi. The break remix of this is america is also by Omniboi.

Sajid and Avi meet with Eliza Orlins. Eliza has been a public defender in New York for around 10 years. She decided to run for District Attorney of Manhattan. They talk about what called her to the work and her decision to run for DA. Learn more about Eliza’s work and campaign here: https://twitter.com/elizaorlins

Omniboi composed and performed the intro, outro, and break remix.

“For the People”: Finding the Humanity in Our Criminal Legal System with Sajid Khan and Avi Singh: In this crossover episode with the cohosts of Aider and Abettor podcast, Bay Area public defenders Avi Singh and Sajid Khan join DA Boudin and Rachel to examine what it means when a prosecutor represents “the people.” The group asks who are the people represented by the system at each stage and is the system really serving them? How can the system better recognize the humanity of defendants and victims? They also explore whether lawyers working in the system should find more collaboration in an adversarial system. The discussion walks through various stages of the criminal legal system (from charging, bail, plea bargains, trials, through sentencing) and reimagines all the ways in which the system should honor the humanity of the people touched by it but too often denies it. Finally, Avi leads DA Boudin, Rachel and Sajid in a “lightning round” of questions submitted by Aider and Abettor fans.

Sajid joined Another Not Guilty Pod for a two-part interview. Part 1 is about what happened when Sajid wrote a blog post calling for civil rights protesters to look at what District Attorneys have done to contribute to the system of mass incarceration and abusive police practices. Part 2 will come out next week. Sajid will debrief on a homicide trial ANG. You can check out and support their excellent work here: https://www.anothernotguiltypod.com/

We are grateful to ANG for the collab.

Here is the post (as published in San Jose Inside): https://www.sanjoseinside.com/opinion/op-ed-be-mad-at-police-but-also-at-the-prosecutors-who-protect-and-enable-their-abuses/

Here is an op-ed by Sajid in the Mercury News calling on implementation of reforms now: https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/06/16/opinion-da-shouldnt-wait-to-implement-reforms/

Here is coverage of the situation in San Jose Inside, including a letter from 650 public defenders around the nation speaking out against practices designed to chill criminal reform speech: https://www.sanjoseinside.com/opinion/letter-650-public-defenders-stand-behind-sajid-khan/

Here is a letter issued by CAIR: https://ca.cair.com/sfba/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/06/DA-Rosen-Letter-06.23.20.pdf

Here is a story in the San Jose Mercury News about Jeff Rosen's decision to withdraw his complaint in response to the backlash: https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/06/23/district-attorney-backs-off-whistleblower-claim-against-line-level-public-defender/

Here is a post Sajid wrote everything went down about what we need to do going forward: https://www.publicdefenders.us/blog_home.asp?Display=854

COVID: Courts, Content, Care

Avi and Sajid talk about what defense practice looks like during the COVID-19 pandemic, including video arraignments in mostly empty courthouses. They also talk about the content that they have enjoyed consuming and self-care practices while sheltering in place.

Lee Rosevere (@leeroservere) composed and performed the intro and outro of the pod. Omniboi (@omniboi) composed and performed the music during the breaks.

Avi and Sajid discuss COVID-19 with Adnan Khan (!akhan1437). Adnan is the co-founder and executive director of Re:Store Justice (@restore_cal). Adnan was incarcerated at 18 for a felony murder conviction. He advocated for reform and was released after California largely abolished felony murder liability. They discuss COVID-19 from the perspective of people held in jails and prisons. Adnan describes the tension people face when seeking medical care means placement in solitary. He talks about how quarantines play out in terms of community access and proposes some solutions to promote good public health practices without resorting to isolation. They discuss COVID-19 in connection with mass incarceration and prison conditions. Adnan was featured on @earhustle. Check out the episode: https://www.earhustlesq.com/episodes/2018/3/14/firsts

@LeeRosevere composed the intro and outro. @omniboi remixed Ms. Jackson and This is America (music @ the breaks).

Note from Avi: The audio is a little weird on this one. My bad. We recorded from separate locations due to COVID-19 shelter in place and needed to experiment with a new set up. I decided to sit in the creakiest chair. I decided to put the pod out asap without doing much to fix the levels. For those who have to increase and then quickly decrease the volume, I see you...I am you. Believe me.

Scott Hechinger (@scotthech) joins Sajid (@thesajidkhan) and Avi (@avanindar) to talk about public defender movement building. @Scotthech talks about the Zealo.us, a project to train public defenders on movement building and media advocacy. They talk about the termination of two public defenders who filed an amicus brief in support of providing counsel to people at the first court appearance. They talk about the movement that formed in response to the terminations and the larger fight for public defender independence in the US. Scott shares some of his thoughts on some areas for advocacy on behalf of incarcerated people during a pandemic.

Lee Rosevere composed and performed the intro and outro of the pod. Music at the break by Are We Hunting (Ryan Perrault is a member of the band and fellow public defender). Check out the whole song at the end of the pod. They have a Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/arewehunting

To learn more about what is happening in MontCo, check out this article in The Appeal by Vaidya Gullapalli: https://theappeal.org/public-defenders-have-an-obligation-to-speak-out/

Here is the amicus brief: https://www.aclupa.org/sites/default/files/field_documents/bail_commission_amicus_montco_pd_2.3.20.pdf?utm_source=The+Appeal&utm_campaign=d63547ac79-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_08_09_04_14_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_72df992d84-d63547ac79-58408851

Here is an ACLU petition to support Dean Beer and Keisha Hudson (@khudsonpdlife)

This episode is all about the Orange County Informant Scandal. Avi and Sajid talk with Somil Trivedi (@somilbtrivedi). Somil is a senior staff attorney with the ACLU’s Criminal Reform Project. They discuss what happened in Orange County, why it matters, how it was uncovered, and what happens next.

You can find Somil’s bio here: https://www.aclu.org/news/by/somil-trivedi/

Somil referenced Scott Moxley’s reporting. Follow him on twitter @scottmoxley. On January 20, 2020 James Queally (@JamesqueallyLAT) and Melanie Mason (@melmason) reported on the California Department of Justice’s investigation. Here is the link: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-01-20/california-attorney-general-orange-county-jail-scandal-harris-becerra The story highlights the importance of the ACLU’s current litigation.

Our intro and outro are by @LeeRosevere. The song at the break is Informer by Snow.

Avi and Sajid reflect on the year and talk through what’s next in the pod, criminal justice reform, and their public defense practices. They talk about notable episodes from 2019 and share ideas about what they hope to cover in 2020. They talk about accomplishments in criminal justice reform and what they hope to see change in 2020. In the last segment, they share how their approach to pd work has changed over the year and where they want it to go. Our intro and outro are by @LeeRosevere. Remix of This is America at the break by @omniboi.