Guilty pleas have become the dominant way in which prosecutors in America secure convictions. In some cases, 99 percent of cases in various jurisdictions end in a plea bargain. While plea bargaining has been a function of the American justice system for nearly a century, the practice started taking hold in the 1970s following various Supreme Court decisions that upheld its constitutionality. Through the imposition of money bail and harsh sentencing practices, prosecutors across the country have wide leverage to convince defendants to accept plea deals—even if they’re innocent. This is the story about how guilty pleas have completely transformed the justice system.

News Beat is a Morey Creative Studios / Manny Faces Media production: www.MoreyCreative.com / www.mannyfacesmedia.com

Producer/Audio Editor: Michael "Manny Faces" Conforti
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Episode Art: Jeff Main
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