podcast Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Are There Too Many Plea Deals?


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Here’s what happens 97 percent of the time in federal court: a plea deal. The defendant agrees to plead guilty to a lesser offense, and the prosecution gets a guaranteed conviction. But earlier this month, Judge Joseph Goodwin rejected a plea deal for a drug dealer, saying the defendant should face the “bright light” of a jury trial. He said this is especially important in West Virginia, which has the highest drug overdose rate in the country. “A court should consider the cultural context
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podcast Story Archives - West Virginia Public BroadcastingBy West Virginia Public Broadcasting