Home -> Law Blog Directory -> Criminal Law Blogs -> Underdog

Criminal Law

: Underdog

MD: If the handle fits the eye, you must acquit the guy.

By Marks & Katz, LLC

7u Photo from website of U.S. District Court (W.D. Mi.). In some courthouses in Maryland, prosecutors often offer a plea deal involving a not guilty plea on an agreed statement of facts rather than a straight-out guilty plea. This approach often seems to be more a form of habit than anything else to which judges, prosecutors and defense lawyers are accustomed, and this approach gives defendants an opportunity to move for judgement of acquittal based on insufficient evidence, and to appeal if the trial judge determines that the evidence is sufficient to convict.  If a defendant wants to settle his or her criminal case, a not guilty on an agreed statement of facts is preferable to a straight-out guilty plea, because if the judge grants a motion for judgment of acquittal on the stipulated facts, the defendant is acquitted...continue to full post

Full post as published by Underdog on December 15, 2008 (boomark / email).