The The appellate court upheld the conviction, stating that Alford had entered the plea fully understanding what it meant. plea In Santobello v. N.Y., the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that what amendment's right to effective assistance of counsel applies during plea bargaining? plea James Phelps Enters Alford Plea, Sentenced to Life Without In the petition, Pearson pleaded to the charge as a petty misdemeanor, which is a prohibited offense that does not constitute a crime and carries a maximum sentence of a $300 fine. [18] Alford maintained he was innocent of the crime itself, but feared going to trial because of the capital punishment associated with the charge of first degree murder. If he failed to comply with probation, he would have to register as a sex offender for life if he did not successfully complete the counseling. 1990). An Alford plea is a plea that may be entered by a defendant who has been charged with a crime. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. By using this type of Alford plea Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com a. because the defendant does not have to acknowledge guilt on the record and this is in direct contravention of what guilt is all about. One of the two men charged in the Dallas County kidnapping and death of Cassidy Rainwater entered an Alford plea on Friday and was sentenced to life in prison As PLN reported back in 2012, Rather than trusting the judicial system that had kept them behind bars for over 18 yearsEchols, Baldwin and Misskelley accepted Alford pleas, which acknowledged that prosecutors had enough evidence to convict them but allowed them to maintain their innocence. Why will some judges not accept Alford pleas? Find the amount needed to pay the invoice on April 2. Meaning "no contest," this phrase translates from the Latin as "I do not wish to contend.". Missouri man sentenced in death of caged, dismembered woman Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Its not perfect by any means, but it at least brings closure to some areas and some aspects., Sources: www.cbsnews.com, www.nbcnews.com, www.prisonlegalnews.org. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Alford Pleas: Prosecutors Choice WebAn Alford plea is one in which the b. defendant pleads guilty but maintains innocence. Criminal Legal News, All Rights Reserved, CLN print ISSN: 2576-9987 | CLN online ISSN: 2577-0004, Absurd, Abusive, and Outrageous: The Creation of Crime and Criminals in America, Studys Data Show Racial Disparity in Plea Bargaining Outcomes, Missouri Supreme Court Holds Probation Revocation for Nonpayment of Court Costs Unconstitutional, Evidence Scandal Leads to the Dismissal of over 140 Texas Criminal Cases, Fourth Circuit Holds Supervised Release Revocation Sentence Unreasonable, Urban Institute Releases Report Detailing the Effects of Criminal Background Checks on Employment, California SVP Determination Based on Hearsay Evidence Reversed, Alford Pleas: Prosecutors Choice for the Wrongfully Convicted, Eighth Circuit: Warrantless Seizure of Handgun Not Permitted under Plain View Doctrine, Oregon Supreme Court Rules No Vindictiveness in Resentencing Where Longer Term for Specific Conviction but Overall Multi-Conviction Sentence Shorter, Seventh Circuit: Violent Cops Below-Guideline Sentence Not Justified, Again, Unloaded Firearm in Zipped Case Is Not Deadly Weapon under Oregons First-Degree Burglary Statute, D.C. Court of Appeals Rules Warrantless Use of Stingray Device Constitutes Unlawful Search and Reverses Defendants Convictions, Eleventh Circuit Holds Defendants Voluntarily Consented to Search in Police Ruse to Search Home Purportedly to Investigate Burglary, Pennsylvania Supreme Court Rules State Sex Offender Registration Law Violates Ex Post Facto Clause, Georgia Supreme Court Rules Flipping the Bird Is Not Disorderly Conduct, New Study: Broken Windows Policing May Not Be as Effective as Thought, California Felonizes Some Prosecutorial Misconduct, Ninth Circuit Concludes Mandatory Supervision Akin to Parole for Fourth Amendment Analysis, Proof of Law Enforcement Duty Is Primary Job to Establish Peace Officer Status. The Court concluded that Alfords guilty plea was voluntary because both he and his attorney intelligently concluded based upon the substantial inculpatory evidence against him that accepting the plea deal was in his best interests.