Legal Current
Legal Current is a podcast from Thomson Reuters, Legal, that features information and commentary on the business and practice of law.
The Liar's Plea - More Efficient Justice or Justice Denied?

What does a prosecutor do when they have a bad case? Maybe use the "liar's plea."  This option allows a defendant to plead guilty to a different charge they did not commit in order for the prosecution to

move the case forward. By using a liar's plea, a defendant can plead guilty to a much lesser charge or different charge that would be much more favorable to them, but still allow for some kind of conviction.

And, it's more common than you would think.

Some feel that the liar's plea is simply manipulation of the system; however, there is some attractiveness to pleading to a lesser charge that you did not commit rather than spending all your money to go to trial.

John Mitchell of Thompson Hine says people may be surprised how commonly the liar’s plea is used, as well as the pros and cons of this practice.

Direct download: The_Liars_Plea.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 12:49pm EDT

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