
Douglas K. Wilson
Chief Public Defender
Doug has spent his career as a criminal defense attorney serving the poor in Colorado. In 1970, the shootings at Kent State were a call to action for him to fight for social justice and human rights. Growing up in Ohio, that was a defining moment for him as he chose to work for people accused of crimes who could not afford counsel. He has dedicated much of his legal career to fighting the death penalty and has represented the accused in capital cases across the state. Doug’s passion and conviction to help and represent people who suffer from mental health conditions has also defined his career.
On November 1, 2006, Doug was appointed as the sixth Colorado State Public Defender, where he was responsible for leading a state-wide public defender system with a $90 million-dollar budget, over 800 employees and 170,000 active cases. He was honored by the Public Defender System on two occasions for his steadfast service to his clients and his ongoing work in opposition to the death penalty. He received the prestigious David F. Vela Award in 1998 and was chosen as Attorney of the Year in 2001. In 1999, the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar honored him with the Jonathan Olom Award. Doug retired July 31, 2018 after leading the Colorado system for 12 years.
On January 8, 2020, Doug was appointed as the Chief Public Defender for the City of Aurora, CO. Where he is responsible for leading a team of 16 in the representation of indigent clients accused of municipal ordinance violations.