A judge has fined San Francisco’s public defender $26,000 for ignoring a January order to stop rejecting cases — a pattern that critics say is straining the city's justice system.
Public Defender Mano Raju began declining to represent some defendants in new felony and misdemeanor cases last May, citing a crushing workload driven by increased prosecutions and insufficient staffing. He wants money for more attorneys or for the court to reject some of cases brought by District Attorney Brooke Jenkins.
