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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!duke!unc!mcnc!dvamc!ms
From: ms@dvamc.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.misc
Subject: re: plea bargaining
Message-ID: <1095@dvamc.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 6-Oct-83 08:44:03 EDT
Article-I.D.: dvamc.1095
Posted: Thu Oct  6 08:44:03 1983
Date-Received: Fri, 7-Oct-83 08:42:56 EDT
Lines: 19



In response to Scott Preece:

I don't think I missed a basic point.  That's right, plea bargaining happens
before sentencing, so what good is a punishment if it is in fact never
given out?  Driving under the influence is a good example.  People can
be way over the usual .10% (in most states) and maybe even have caused
an accident, but with a good lawyer get a sentence plea bargained.  Here
in N. Carolina the laws just got much stricter (last weekend), there is no
room for bargaining, boy the roads sure were less crowded those weekend
nights.  I'm sure going to think much more about driving after even a
few drinks, because I know that NO lawyer will be able to plea bargain
for me.

My point was, if a punishment for a crime is never given or always
plea bargained, what good is it?  How could it ever be a deterrent?
How can the death penalty ever be considered a deterrent if it is
almost NEVER carried out?