FreeJonny1
For
Justice
To deny people their human rights is to challenge
their very humanity. Nelson Mandela
their very humanity. Nelson Mandela
A little know fact concerning our current justice system....97% of all cases are resolved with a plea agreement. Our current understanding is that criminals are charged, they are held until trial, they get a fair trial and are convicted based on their guilt. This is not true.
I will give you an example of justice today by sharing what happened to Jonny. The prosecution buries a client with charges, most of which they know will be dismissed later but they put pressure on the defendant. With mounting charges, fear and the punishment looming over their heads they are crushed....backs against the wall....with no way of escape. In Jonny's case the prosecution continued to add charges to his case two years after his arrest. This was to pressure him into taking a plea agreement. As they continued to stack charge after charge on him, he thought it less and less likely that he could ever prove his innocence. This is the tactic used by most prosecutor's today. Charges are levied against the defendant and the ramification of the charges is made real by the possibility of time spent in prison. It is at the point when a defendant realizes the possible time that they could spend in prison that the prosecutor offers a plea agreement. The defendant is told that if they plead guilty to a lesser charge that the punishment will not be so harsh. Even if the defendant is innocent, they will consider the plea agreement because they feel powerless against the justice system. Jonny held out for 2 1/2 years because he would never admit guilt for something he did not do. When the prosecution finally offered a plea agreement that reduced his culpability, he took it. Why? Not because it was in his best interest, not because it was just but because he believed he would never be given justice anyway. He believed that he had no chance at justice. This story plays out all across our nation every day. When we do not follow our system of justice all the way to trial we loose. It is like going to a used car lot. We want the best deal and the salesman wants the best commission. We offer low, they counter high until there is an agreement met or until we walk away. People charged with crimes cannot walk away and go look for a better deal. They can only watch as others bargain with their very lives and future. http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/a-fairer-deal-for-those-who-plea-bargain/2012/10/03/47fa81ce-081d-11e2-858a-5311df86ab04_story.html
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