Alameda County Public Defender Brendon Woods on His CNN Interview about Kamala Harris

Last week CNN aired part of an interview filmed with me a few weeks ago about Vice President Kamala Harris’s bid for the presidency. It can be viewed at this link.  I appreciate that CNN sought out the voice of a Public Defender who practiced in the Bay Area when Harris was the District Attorney, however the final segment did not include several points we covered during the interview.

First, when it comes to Kamala Harris “prosecuting the case against Trump” or the glorification of her prosecutorial background, I emphasized the need to shift this narrative. Prosecution is not a solution. The rhetoric around prosecution has a very different meaning to millions of Black people in America. Prosecutors have caused irreparable harm, disproportionately incarcerating Black and Brown people and removing them from our communities, undermining true public safety. We can make the case for her candidacy without glorifying prosecution or promoting incarceration.

Second, while I am critical of her prosecutorial past, the sad reality is that without it, she would likely not be in the position to run for President. America is still not prepared to elect a Black woman President who has been a teacher, a social worker or–heaven forbid–a public defender. America only seems ready to accept a Black woman in that office if she has navigated one of the more white and male dominated professions that relies on punishment instead of compassion.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, I was asked what I would most like to see out of a Harris presidency.

1. As the Public Defender of Alameda County, my top priority would be addressing the massive funding disparities between public defenders and prosecutors. If she is truly “for the people,” that must include those charged with crimes. In California, prosecutors receive a billion dollars more than public defenders. Nationwide, prosecutors receive twice as much funding as public defenders. Properly funded public defender offices can be a part of the solution. I would like to see her strengthen and advance the Ensuring Quality Access to Legal Defense (EQUAL) Act, which she previously introduced.
2. Harris should end the death penalty–starting at the federal level and then providing the necessary incentives for states to do the same. Kamala Harris is personally opposed to the death penalty for all the right reasons. It does not deter crime, it cannot be reversed, and far too many people, particularly from Black and Brown communities, have been wrongfully convicted. The racial disparities in its application are staggering. She could push for the creation of a Federal Racial Justice Act to investigate and address racially biased prosecutions and death sentences.
3. I would also urge her to use all of the power available to her as President of the United States to bring an immediate end to the war in Gaza. She must do everything in her power to secure the return of the hostages and end the senseless and barbaric killing of tens of thousands of Palestinians. Over 40,000 civilians have been killed, more have been injured, and countless others have been displaced.

As I’m sure you could guess, I have many more than three priorities. But these were the ones I chose to mention; unfortunately, they did not make the final cut.

I ultimately hope that Harris is elected, as the alternative would be far worse for our clients and our country. I also believe her presidency would provide us with better opportunities to address the critical issues impacting our clients.