Let's say an imaginery man was framed of a murder. Because he was framed, the evidence against him is very strong. The man lives in a conservative place, such as the South, where convictions of murder lead to a death penalty. Or should he keep telling the truth to save himself.
However, his attorney advises him to plea bargain to avoid the death penalty. Should he do it? His life is at risk.
2007-08-09 09:48:04 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
There is a terrific article on this topic at
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/plea/interviews/oberman.html
It talks about many aspects of plea bargains. According to this, the overwhelming majority (about 90%) of all criminal cases end in plea bargains.
The article asks the question of whether plea bargains are good or bad. It concludes that it is good for people who are factually guilty, but coercive for people who are not.
False confessions are also a big problem. Among the 200+ people exonerated with DNA evidence, 25% of the cases involved false confessions and plea bargains. Attempting to avoid a harsher sentence is just one of the things that induce defendents to confess to a crime they did not commit or to take a plea bargain.
For much more about this, you can visit the Innocent Project website, specifically
http://www.innocenceproject.org/understand/False-Confessions.php
Its an eye opener.
2007-08-09 15:57:10 · answer #1 · answered by Susan S 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Susan S is absolutely correct. Many criminals, including myself, have given false confessions and taken pleas to avoid a jury trial. This involves 12 people, (not my peers), who know nothing of law and they are pissed to be taken from their world and forced to accept the piddly check to listen to this stuff. Some juries will convict just to get it over with. This is BS at it's finest.
2007-08-10 08:28:22 · answer #2 · answered by pappyld04 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Sometimes the likelihood of an acquittal is slim, even if the accused is innocent. Sometimes the cost of the trial makes it more attractive to plea to a lesser charge (as I once did with a traffic violation).
It's not right, it's not fair, and it's very frustrating, but it's reality.
2007-08-09 10:02:58 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
If US dying penalty rules have ever complete a single harmless guy or woman it incredibly is reason sufficient to end the dying penalty. the thought executing some harmless human beings is suitable if it facilitates avert a killer circulate loose and kill different human beings is a daft argument.
2016-10-02 00:03:28 · answer #4 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, if I'm a innocent man I'd rather die with my soul intact than spend the rest of life behind bars with real criminals corrupting my soul, so no plea from me.
2007-08-09 09:53:18 · answer #5 · answered by modernneanderthal 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Don't plea if you didn't do it. Because if evidence comes out later showing that you didn't, if you took a plea, it'll counteract the evidence showing your non-guilt.
If you fight it the whole way, and then find evidence later, people'll be like, "Oh, that's why he fought so hard...he actually didn't do it."
2007-08-09 09:57:56 · answer #6 · answered by alokpinto 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Never. If your innocent never plea bargain...
2007-08-09 09:51:57 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 1⤋
Unfortunately, this is exactly what most people do. There is no other choice.
2007-08-09 10:15:40 · answer #8 · answered by OC 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
No.
2007-08-09 09:51:51 · answer #9 · answered by B.Kevorkian 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
No...
2007-08-09 09:53:14 · answer #10 · answered by John J 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋