At a critical juncture in our nation’s history, Public Defender, an award-winning documentary film, examines the fault lines of American democracy through the lens of Heather Shaner, a seasoned and fiercely compassionate public defender in Washington, DC.
Public Defender airs Tuesday, January 6 at 10:30 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streaming live on the WXXI and PBS Apps.
Heather Shaner, a feisty, blue-haired defense attorney in Washington, DC, has spent over 45 years representing people who can’t afford a lawyer. But her empathy is tested when a violent mob supporting outgoing President Donald Trump storms the U.S. Capitol.
She is assigned to represent Jack Griffith, a social media influencer, and Annie Howell, a single mother and painter. As Heather gets to know her clients, she discovers Jack and Annie were deceived by misinformation and thought they’d joined a righteous defense of democracy, not an authoritarian wave.
Public Defender explores the delicate state of U.S. democracy, the forces threatening to tear it apart, and the people dedicated to protecting it. When trust is lost amidst a growing political divide, the unlikely bonds between Heather and her clients reveal how people can rise above the fray to find each other’s humanity.