After a lifetime dedicated to vulnerable clients, Shaner faces an unexpected turn when she is asked to represent people who took part in the January 6th attack on the U.S.
[1][5] Shaner is assigned to represent Jack "Liberty Dragon" Griffith, a social media influencer, and Annie Howell, a single mother and painter.
[3][6] Following its festival premiere, Public Defender had a limited theatrical run at the Roxie Theater in San Francisco, California[7] and was released by The New Yorker via YouTube.
[14] Giving the documentary 4.5 stars out of 5 for Video Librarian, J. Zimmerman writes that Public Defender is, "an excellent non-fiction examination of the moral and political challenges that face defense lawyers in America.
"[15] Prior to the release, the documentary was awarded a Mountainfilm Commitment Grant[16] and was invited to take part in Hot Docs Deal Makers 2023 under the film's working title, A Capitol Case.