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Today, Hunter sat down once again with Doug Wilson, Chief Public Defender in the Aurora Municipal Public Defender Office, to discuss what has unfolded in Aurora, Colorado over the past year. Often, people will ask the question, \u201cWhy do you think we don\u2019t fund Public Defender Offices the way we should?\u201d While there are many potential answers to that question, this episode highlights one of the most important ones: Policy makers have an exponentially more tough time incarcerating people when there is a zealous advocate both in and out of the court room for the rights of the accused.

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Starting back to last year, the Aurora Public Defender Office has been instrumental in highlighting the misconduct and illegal activity of the prosecution and police of the city. At the same time, the city council marched on towards its mission to incarcerate as many people as possible in a misguided effort to make their community safer. At every step of the way, Doug and his office have been pushing back against the city\u2019s goals.

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Now it seems, the city is tired of the pushback. Tune in to hear how the city is attempting to use the language of cost efficiency to mask their true intentions: dismantling the most powerful advocate against their march towards increased incarceration.

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Guests:

Doug Wilson, Chief Public Defender, Aurora, Colorado Municipal Public Defender Office\xa0

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Key Topics and Takeaways:

The City Attorney\u2019s Brady violations and the PDO\u2019s role in exposing them [8:22]

How does the PDO impede the goal of the city council [20:41]

How did the city support its mandatory minimum sentencing [25:13]

Is the city council now seeking to dismantle the office? [30:20]

The response from the community [38:03]

The media\u2019s failure to cover this topic [44:30]

Why the fiscal efficiency argument is bogus [52:00]

What is next for Aurora [59:25]

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Resources:

Prosecutors ordered to review cases after Aurora office failed to provide defendants with knowledge of discredited cops

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Aurora city attorneys review, notify impacted defendants of lacking \u2018Brady letters\u2019

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Aurora lawmakers give 1st OK to mandatory jail time for shoplifting, despite lack of cost data

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Aurora lawmakers impose mandatory 3 days in jail for shoplifting more than $300

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Aurora council defends cuts to diversity office, public defender, police monitor in first round of budget voting

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Impacts of Mandatory Minimum Sentencing:

https://law.asu.edu/sites/default/files/pdf/academy_for_justice/7_Criminal_Justice_Reform_Vol_4_Mandatory-Minimums.pdf

https://www.sentencingproject.org/reports/long-term-sentences-time-to-reconsider-the-scale-of-punishment/

https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/end-mandatory-minimums

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NLADA Report on Aurora Office

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ACLU Report on Municipal Courts Colorado

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Contact Hunter Parnell:

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hwparnell@publicdefenseless.com

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Twitter

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www.publicdefenseless.com