Alright attorneys - tell us why the Alford Plea was a good idea?

[JamieDimonsBalls]

It was apparently used in a Rochester, MN rape case and the suspect is avoiding significant jail time plus not being required to register as a sex offender, if he completes his probation.

I don't understand the original SCOTUS reasoning for allowing such a plea and avoidance of jail time while seemingly admitting guilt (I realize that's not actually what is happening, and maybe I'm being two black and white).

Here's the story:

Rochester man given 180 days in jail for raping girls

The victims were between 4 and 9 years old at the time. "There is no moving on or getting over it," one said in court.

www.postbulletin.com

Here's high level detail on Alford Plea:

Alford plea - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[MyTeamIsOnTheFloor]

It was apparently used in a Rochester, MN rape case and the suspect is avoiding significant jail time plus not being required to register as a sex offender, if he completes his probation.

I don't understand the original SCOTUS reasoning for allowing such a plea and avoidance of jail time while seemingly admitting guilt (I realize that's not actually what is happening, and maybe I'm being two black and white).

Here's the story:

Rochester man given 180 days in jail for raping girls

The victims were between 4 and 9 years old at the time. "There is no moving on or getting over it," one said in court.

www.postbulletin.com

Here's high level detail on Alford Plea:

Alford plea - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Busy dockets

 

[TheOriginalHappyGoat]

It was apparently used in a Rochester, MN rape case and the suspect is avoiding significant jail time plus not being required to register as a sex offender, if he completes his probation.

I don't understand the original SCOTUS reasoning for allowing such a plea and avoidance of jail time while seemingly admitting guilt (I realize that's not actually what is happening, and maybe I'm being two black and white).

Here's the story:

Rochester man given 180 days in jail for raping girls

The victims were between 4 and 9 years old at the time. "There is no moving on or getting over it," one said in court.

www.postbulletin.com

Here's high level detail on Alford Plea:

Alford plea - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Looks to me like he didn't avoid long jail time because of the Alford plea. He got that essentially in exchange for agreeing to transfer to adult court. Sounds like he was in danger of going free when he agreed to that.

 

[JamieDimonsBalls]

Sounds like he was in danger of going free when he agreed to that.

Is our judicial system this dysfunctional? Sure seems like it.

 

[IUINSB]

WTF? Seems the court is begging for justice to be replaced by vengeance.

 

[HoosierJimbo89]

Ask people who have been wrongly convicted if their innocence mattered at a trial. You have the options of a trial, plea, or dismissal, and these options don't neatly fit every scenario in a criminal case. The system is not perfect, and mistakes happen. The beyond a reasonable doubt standard is supposed to prevent innocent people from being convicted and produce just outcomes, but it doesn't always happen.

Imagine being an innocent person charged with a murder or sex offense and you are looking at decades in prison or even death: your fate depends on whether a jury believes you or not. Prosecutors are allowed to offer circumstantial evidence and make arguments that may not reflect the truth. An innocent person could decide to take a lesser plea to avoid the worse penalty. It takes a special person to be a prosecutor, and they aren't all special: many just want to win.

Check out The Staircase on Netflix. Michael Peterson entered into an Alford Plea at the end after spending 8-9 years in prison. I don't know if he was guilty or not at the end, and I think the Judge would say the same thing. The Judge even admitted that he probably shouldn't have allowed some evidence in, and it might have produced a bad outcome.

 

[Bulk VanderHuge]

Check out The Staircase on Netflix. Michael Peterson entered into an Alford Plea at the end after spending 8-9 years in prison. I don't know if he was guilty or not at the end, and I think the Judge would say the same thing. The Judge even admitted that he probably shouldn't have allowed some evidence in, and it might have produced a bad outcome.

I thought he was guilty based on his eyebrows.

 

[HoosierJimbo89]

I thought he was guilty based on his eyebrows.

How crazy was it that Peterson's German woman friend had also died by falling down the stairs 20 years earlier AND Peterson had adopted her kids?!? Honestly, the scenario that made the most sense was an owl attack. Either Peterson did it or he is the most unlucky bastard on the face of the Earth.

 

[TMFT]

I've only practiced in Indiana where we don't do them, so my opinion is somewhat speculative, so take it for what it is.

But my hunch is that the prosecution pretty much only agrees to the Defendant taking an Alford plea if the case circumstances dictate. My analogy would be that "Attempted Murder" requires specific intent to kill. "Aggravated Battery" does not. So, depending on the strength of the case, a lot of prosecutors will plead down Attempt to Agg Batt to hedge the bets. Still get a lengthy sentence, but eliminate risk of an all or nothing proposition with the Attempt Murder.

In another semi-analogous situation, I once gave away the store to plead a juvenile to Operating While Intoxicated Causing Serious Bodily Injury. Why? He was a few months from 18 and nothing would happen to him in juvi. So he got no penalty, basically, for agreeing to a waiver to adult court. My reasoning was that an adult conviction for that charge will stick for life to be used as an enhancement to major felony if he ever picks up a DUI again. It was the biggest victory I could pull out of the given facts.

 

[mcmurtry66]

I thought he was guilty based on his eyebrows.

I loved that show. And how haunting of an ending where he thinks he’s talking to himself and says of course I did it

 

[HoosierJimbo89]

I loved that show. And how haunting of an ending where he thinks he’s talking to himself and says of course I did it

That was the Jinx, but also incredible.

 

[mcmurtry66]

That was the Jinx, but also incredible.

Ah yes!

 

[UncleMark]

And here I thought this thread was going to be about Pierre Pierce.

 

[Bulk VanderHuge]

And here I thought this thread was going to be about Pierre Pierce.