Manu Raju

San Francisco public defender Manu Raju is fined $26,000, $1,000 each for 26 cases rejected since a judge ordered his office to stop rejecting cases in January.

Raju last spring stopped representing some defendants in low-level cases, citing a crushing workload because of increased prosecutions and insufficient staffing.

He says he'll appeal the fine and continue to reject some new cases.

San Francisco public defender is in an elected position.

City District Attorney Brooke Jenkins says Manu is causing a bottleneck in the justice system and could lead to violent defendants being released due to lack of representation.

Manu says prosecute fewer cases or give us more money to hire staff.

How would I not know about the pay raise? But, I mean, people look at the performance of Congress and say, why should we give them more money? What about the media? Think about that for a second. And we're not paid by public money.

How would I not know about the pay raise? But, I mean, people look at the performance of Congress and say, why should we give them more money? What about the media? Think about that for a second. And we're not paid by public money.