What happens if trump takes an Alford plea? Agnew did....

[albacore]

(NOT a lawyer... not even!)
"In criminal law, an Alford plea is a type of guilty plea in which the defendant does not admit to committing the crime but agrees that the prosecution has enough evidence to obtain a conviction. This type of plea allows the defendant to plead guilty but maintain their innocence in the eyes of the law."

He could then say all the usual bullshit about "radical courts" and talk about being railroaded because the deck is stacked against him, without having all the shit come out in court.

I want that fucker incarcerated, but his lawyers/advisors/family might convince him it's the only way out. Otherwise, he'll be in court for the rest of his life.

[Recycle_Guru]

1. as long as he's barred for running for office, then I'd take that

as long as he has to spend at least 6 months behind bars.

[Cartoonist]

2. No deals.

Anything less than prison is a victory for the terrorists.

[Silent3]

3. Perhaps the idiot thinks he's immortal, but if not, he's got years to go...

...before ever actually being punished (perhaps no worse than house arrest), so Trump is better off playing his usual game of playing for time.

Our legal system will happily oblige him here.

[Ocelot II]

4. He wouldn't do it.

An Alford plea is still effectively a guilty plea; you plead guilty not because you're admitting to the crime, but because the prosecutor has sufficient evidence (beyond a reasonable doubt) to convict you at a trial. That is to say, you plead guilty without specifically admitting to the elements of the crime (allocution), and you'll still be sentenced to prison anyhow. I don't think TFG would do it because he'd have to admit that Jack Smith has enough evidence to convict him.

[Ms. Toad]

12. Nice explanation. n/t

[PortTack]

14. Great explanation. I believe you're right that he won't do that for several reasons

Mainly…he would be seen as weak in the eyes of his cult and they would begin to walk away from their der leeder. Translates to him losing his grift.

[Effete Snob]

16. It also requires Smith's consent

https://www.justice.gov/jm/jm-9-16000-pleas-federal-rule-criminal-procedure-11

[elleng]

5. DENY it.

[Meadowoak]

6. I want him electrocuted, he's done far worse than the Rosenberg's ever dreamed.

[usonian]

7. With SOLAR power?

Asking for a friend.

[RainCaster]

10. On international tv

The GOP needs to own that image. He was their man.

[VGuerra276]

8. The AUSA

The AUSA would have to agree to it, if it's any type of plea. Plus, it would result in a conviction. I'm sure he would get some sentencing benefit for an early plea and not requiring our government to spend time preparing for trial. And he would have to 'accept responsibility' for his actions in order to receive another sentencing benefit.

[MerryBlooms]

9. Never happen.

[FakeNoose]

11. Spiro Agnew pleaded "nolo contendere"

Is that the same as an Alford plea? I don't know...

Nolo contendere means "I'm not pleading guilty, but I'm not NOT guilty."

[Ms. Toad]

13. As a practical matter - not much difference.

An Alford plea is a guilty plea (based not on a confession of guilt, but an acknowledgement the prosecution has enough evidence to prove guilt beyone a reasonable doubt. Since there is an actual guilty plea, some jurisdicitons might allow the plea itself to used to find liability for related civil claims arising out of the same incident. (E.g. a murder charge & civil claims from the survivor of the victim)

A nolo contendere plea is not a guilty plea - but a plea that allows the court to enter a verdict of guilty because the defendant is not contesting the charges. Since the defendant is not admitting guilt (even based simply on acknowledging prosecution's position of strength), the nolo plea itself cannot be used as the basis for finding liability for related civil matters arising out of the same incident.

There is not unform treatment of the pleas across all jurisdicitons, so differences (or even whether the pleas would be allowed) would be jurisdiction-specific.

[Effete Snob]

15. Can't do that without consent

Read rule 9-16.015

https://www.justice.gov/jm/jm-9-16000-pleas-federal-rule-criminal-procedure-11

[marble falls]

17. People still go to jail on Alford pleas. It's just another way of cutting the trial short without...

... guilty. You basically are pleading guilty by the evidence, but innocent of the charges. It's more of a pride thing.