what is the purpose of an alford plea
While defendant initially entered an Alford plea to two counts in exchange for the state . Copyright 2023 The University of Alabama A defendant making an Alford plea maintains his innocence of the offense charged. Henry C. Alford was on trial for first-degree murder and insisted that he was innocent, despite three witnesses who said they heard him say he was going to kill the victim, that he got a gun, left the house and returned saying he had killed him. Baltimore to Pay Largest settlement in City History-$9 million-to Man Wrongfully Convicted of, Murder. One example is a situation where the defendant has no recollection of the pertinent events due to intoxication or amnesia. The defendant gets to "save face" by using an Alford plea, but it is legally the same as a guilty plea. This would be known as an Alford plea, based on a 1963 murder case in North Carolina. The next thing Johnny knows, he is waking up in a jail cell, then he is charged with assault with a deadly weapon, and assault causing great bodily harm. When a defendant makes an Alford plea, he is actually pleading guilty, while holding onto his claim that he is innocent. In fact, if the accused is silent and refuses to enter into a plea, the court will automatically enter not guilty plea on his behalf. "I just pleaded guilty because they said if I didn't, they would gas me for it," wrote Alford in one of his appeals. The criminal record shows a conviction just as if he had pled guilty. Although there were no witnesses to . The Alford plea or Alford doctrine is a form of guilty plea in a United States criminal court in which the defendant acknowledges that the prosecution probably has enough evidence to secure a conviction, but he does not specifically admit committing the crime.Used in state and local courts within the United States, the defendant claims innocence but agrees to accept a conviction in the . allows defendant to plea guilty while claiming innocence. The name, Alford plea, is taken from the case North Carolina v. Alford.. An Alford plea, also known as a "best-interests plea," registers a formal admission of guilt towards charges in criminal court while the defendant simultaneously expresses their innocence toward those same charges.Like the similar nolo contendere plea, an Alford plea skips the full process of a criminal trial because the . Once the not guilty plea is entered, the court will set deadlines for filing and answering motions, schedule any evidentiary hearings and, in some cases, select a date . This is referred to as a Brady violation(8), named after the 1963 Supreme Court case in which the court stated that the suppression of evidence favorable to the accused upon request violates the due process where evidence is material to either guilt or punishment(9). Kennedy plea (plural Kennedy pleas) (US, law) A plea in criminal court in which the defendant does not admit guilt, but concedes that the state has sufficient evidence to obtain a conviction. The Court of Appeals, on an appeal from a denial of a writ of habeas corpus, found that appellees guilty plea was involuntary because it was motivated principally by fear of the death penalty. The Alford Plea essentially says that they . [32] In October 2008, the United States Department of Justice defined an Alford plea as: "the defendant maintains his or her innocence with respect to the charge to which he or she offers to plead guilty". The main purpose of the factual basis requirement is to reconcile any conflict between guilty plea and accused's profession of innocence. defendant must provide factual basis for the plea. Rule 11 essentially provides a list of topics that the Court is required to address when advising a defendant who is entering a guilty plea. Instead, the defendant pleads to avoid the potential consequences of going to trial, and . 68 (2003)1-33. . This is something every defendant should keep in mind . An Alford plea, also known as a "best-interests plea," registers a formal admission of guilt towards charges in criminal court while the defendant simultaneously expresses their innocence toward those same charges. Montaldo, Charles. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Alford died in prison in 1975. Most people havent heard of an Alford plea but its a type of plea many people accused of crimes in Wisconsin use. If the above bullet points are followed, then the judge presiding over the hearing is likely going to accept the plea. On the advice of his attorney, Alford pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of second degree murder. . The Seattle Times. Not only can an Alford plea count as a strike in future cases, but if the defendant already has two strikes when he accepts the plea bargain, the strike may affect sentencing on the current case. Following this ruling, Alford petitioned for a writ of habeas corpus in the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, which upheld the initial ruling, and subsequently to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, which ruled that Alford's plea was not voluntary, because it was made under fear of the death penalty. I don't quite understand what it's used for, and why it's not more commonly used, New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, Scan this QR code to download the app now. It was named after Henry Alford, a southern black man with a long rap sheet who, in 1970, was tried for the 1963 murder of a man in North Carolina. In entering an Alford plea, the individual essentially enters a plea of guilty, while maintaining a claim of innocence. An Alford plea allows defendant to plead guilty even while unable or unwilling to admit guilt. Alford later appealed his case to federal court, saying that he was coerced into pleading guilty out of fear of the death penalty. Alford Plea of Guilty. Star Athletica, L.L.C. With a no-contest (or nolo contendere) plea, a defendant accepts punishment but doesnt admit guilt. In United States law, an Alford plea, also called a Kennedy plea in West Virginia, an Alford guilty plea, and the Alford doctrine, is a guilty plea in criminal court, whereby a defendant in a criminal case does not admit to the criminal act and asserts innocence, but admits that the evidence presented by the prosecution would be likely to persuade a judge or jury to find the defendant guilty . When was Alford indicted for first degree murder? A defendant who enters an Alford plea pleads guilty but claims to be innocent. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. There are many ways we can defend you in court, so call us right away at 414-383-6700. In this plea, the defendant does not admit the act and asserts innocence, but admits that sufficient evidence exists with which the prosecution could likely convince a judge or jury to find the defendant guilty. An Alford guilty plea is a plea of guilty without admission of guilt. Following a sentencing hearing, defendant was sentenced to 10 years in prison. In that case, the defendant was indicted for first-degree murder. In United States law, an Alford plea, also called a Kennedy plea in West Virginia,[1] an Alford guilty plea,[2][3][4] and the Alford doctrine,[5][6][7] is a guilty plea in criminal court,[8][9][10] whereby a defendant in a criminal case does not admit to the criminal act and asserts innocence,[11][12][13] but admits that the evidence presented by the prosecution would be likely to persuade a judge or jury to find the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Alford was offered a plea deal in which, if he pled guilty to second-degree murder, he would receive a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. | Accessibility. Importance and Purpose of Plea Agreement Advisements. So what is an Alford plea, and why does it matter? "What Is an Alford Plea?" [31], In March 2009, the Minnesota House of Representatives characterized the Alford plea as: "a form of a guilty plea in which the defendant asserts innocence but acknowledges on the record that the prosecutor could present enough evidence to prove guilt. ProPublica.com. His lawyer recommended that he plead guilty to second-degree murder in order to avoid being sentenced to death, which was the likely sentence he would receive in North Carolina at that time. Like a nolo contendere plea, an Alford plea arrests the full process of criminal trial because the defendant typically, only with the courts permission accepts all the ramifications of a guilty verdict (i.e. One reason for making such a plea may be to . The Alford plea is sometimes used in plea bargaining, as it allows the accused person to enter a plea recognizing that the prosecutions evidence would likely result in a conviction, even while maintaining he did not commit the crime. Can You Go to Jail for Playing Loud Music. At this point it is rather common knowledge that most criminal cases end with a plea agreement rather than a trial. [11] Bibas argues, "These procedures may be constitutional and efficient, but they undermine key values served by admissions of guilt in open court. This plea allows a defendant to claim to be innocent without taking the risk of going to trial. "[11] Bibas instead asserts that this form of plea is "unwise and should be abolished". In fact, its a type of plea available in 47 of our 50 states (its not allowed in Indiana, Michigan or New Jersey). This type of guilty plea is legitimate when the person accused of the crime intelligently concludes that an Alford plea will lead to the best possible outcome and when the evidence strongly suggests that the he or she is guilty. Answer (1 of 3): I imagine that you could find the meaning of an Alford Plea online with 10 seconds of effort, but here goes: The Alford Plea is a strange middle ground between the normal "guilty" amd "not guilty" pleas one can enter with a criminal court. When you enter an Alford plea, youre admitting that the evidence the prosecution has is likely to convince a judge or jury that youre guilty, but youre still saying that you didnt commit the crime. A guilty plea cannot be directly appealed, but only by way of an application for leave to appeal. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. She is charged with robbery and assault. In some . "[21] He said of the Supreme Court case, "They had to make a decision about what to do. At that time in North Carolina, an accused who pled guilty to a capital offense could only be sentenced to life in prison, whereas, if the accused took his case to a jury and lost, the jury could vote for the death penalty. https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/alford-pleas-a-violation-of-rights-or-psychological-salve/(accessed December 13, 2018). https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/400/25/(accessed December 13, 2018). The United States Supreme Court found this type of plea to be constitutionally acceptable in North Carolina v.Alford, 400 U.S. 25 (1970).In entering an Alford plea, the defendant admits the evidence presented by the . Overall, the Alford plea as well as many other plea bargains began as something that was seen as a compromise for both parties, that served everyones interests equally. A few states like New Jersey and Indiana expressly forbid Alfred pleas. [21], The case was then appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Such things as the judges memory of having dealt with the defendant before, or even a consideration of how the community feels about the case, could affect the judges opinion. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The purpose of a preliminary hearing is to determine. The 4th Circuit Court ruled that the court should have rejected the plea which was involuntary because it was made under fear of the death penalty. A defendant who enters an Alford plea pleads guilty but claims to be innocent. What Is an Alford Plea? [38], Last edited on 20 February 2023, at 08:27, United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Richmond Law Review Association, "Harmonizing Substantive Criminal Law Values and Criminal Procedure: The Case of, Judge Advocate General School, United States Air Force, "(Not) Guilty Lawyer in case that led to Alford plea says he worried about later questions", "Coles Enters Guilty Pleas on Two Felony Charges", "9-16.015 Approval Required for Consent to Alford Plea", "9-27.440 Plea Agreements When Defendant Denies Guilt", "The Alford Plea Turns Fifty: Why It Deserves Another Fifty Years", USAM 9-16.000 PleasFederal Rule of Criminal Procedure 11, United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alford_plea&oldid=1140489097, This page was last edited on 20 February 2023, at 08:27. [18], Alford appealed and requested a new trial, arguing he was forced into a guilty plea because he was afraid of receiving a death sentence. An Alford plea allows the defendant to maintain his innocence while acknowledging that the State has enough evidence against him or her to likely achieve a conviction by a jury at trial. An Alford plea allows defendant to plead guilty even while unable or unwilling to admit guilt. What equipment is necessary for safe securement for people who use their wheelchair as a vehicle seat? Copyright 2012 - 2022 by Gamino Law Offices, LLC | All Rights Reserved | What is the purpose of an Alford plea? 5. Certain choices made at the trial level will impact what challenges may be raised on appeal. Maybe you do not understand, but an Alford Plea is the same as a guilty plea. "[10], The Alford guilty plea is "a plea of guilty containing a protestation of innocence". It is easily forgotten that although the Alford Plea may have a negative legacy, the intentions in which it was created with were positive. [18], Alford was faced with the possibility of capital punishment if convicted by a jury trial. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". 1. This applies equally to pleas and trials. At the time, Alford argued that his plea was "involuntary because its principal motivation was .
