The "Gideon Award" was established to recognize members of the press and the electronic media and entertainment industry who have through their work, helped make the complex criminal justice system more understandable, or who have gone beyond the "call of duty" to bring attention to miscarriages of justice or other criminal justice issues that would have otherwise gone unnoticed by the public. Special emphasis is given to those who have helped educate the public with respect to the rights of criminal defendants and the defense attorney's role in our criminal justice system.

Year 2007 - The San Francisco Chronicle - "The Use of Force - When SFPD Officers Resort To Violence" Series - Susan Sward, Bill Wallace, Elizabeth Fernandez and Seth Rosenfeld

Year 2006 - Linda Deutsch, Associated Press Special Correspondent, Los Angeles, California

Year 2006 - San Jose Mercury News - "Tainted Trials, Stolen Justice" Series - Editor Susan Goldman & Staff Writer Fredric N. Tulsky

Year 2005 - Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez, "Democracy in America" - National Public Radio Program

Year 2004 - None

Year 2003 - None

Year 2002 - Gideon Award - Tamara Koehler, Staff Writer, Ventura County Star.  This outstanding investigative journalist was also warded the Gideon back in 1997 (see below). In 2002 Ms. Koehler was again awarded the Gideon for a series of stories she wrote for the Ventura County Star on the problem of mentally ill children in California's juvenile justice system.

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Year 2001 - Gideon Award - Matt Lait and Scott Glover, The Los Angeles Times. These two super-reporters were honored for their tireless efforts in covering (and uncovering) what is now referred to as the "Rampart Scandal," that occured within the Los Angeles Police Department.

* Year 2000 - Gideon Award - Stuart Pfeifer, Orange County Register. This investigative journalism in cooperation with Orange County Public Defender Carl Holmes, helped uncover the wrongful murder conviction of DeWayne McKinney in Orange County, who was subsequently released from prison after 20 years, when the District Attorney reviewed the new evidence and agreed they had prosecuted the wrong man!

 

*Note: The audio and video programs on this web site and all other materials on this web site are protected under Federal and State Copyright laws. Individuals are permitted to view these materials and media for their own personal and private use only, and any copying, distribution, or storage of them or any portion of them for any purpose beyond personal viewing is prohibited without written permission from the California Public Defenders Association.

 

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1999 - Mark Arax & Mark Gladstone, Los Angeles Times. For coverage of wide-spread California prision-guard corruption and violence on inmates investigated by the F.B.I. and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Offices.

1998 - No Award

1997 - Tamara Koehler, Staff Writer, Bakersfield Californian Newspaper. Investigative Journalism.

1996 - Jonathan Towers & Bill Kurtis, Producers of Arts and Entertainment Network Program "American Justice." Production of a series explaining the various agencies in the justice system including the public defender system.

1995 - No Award

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1994 - No Award

1993 - No Award

1992 - Actress Sharon Gless, "Rosie O'Neil" Televsion Program.

1991- Barbara Murphy, News Reporter, Los Angeles Daily News

1990 - Paul Conrad, Cartoonist, Los Angeles Times

1989

• Mark Arax, Los Angeles Times
• David Hasemyer, San Diego Tribune
• Linda Keene, San Diego Tribune
• Carole Rafferty, New West Magazine

1988- Actor Richard Dreyfuss, for his role in the movie "Nuts."

1987 - None