Quote (Saucisson6000 @ Jul 29 2019 02:51pm)

So the shooter is a young one who recommended a far right / fascist book before doing the non sense murders which includes 2 children

I guess that now 2/3 of PARD will quietly avoid this topic

Quote (Skinned @ Jul 29 2019 04:50pm)

Engage me? You were trying to be a smartass and mainsplain shit you didn't have your head wrapped around.

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Plea bargain
Overview
Many successful criminal prosecutions in the United States end not with jury trials, but with plea bargains. Plea bargains are agreements between defendants and prosecutors in which defendants agree to plead guilty to some or all of the charges against them in exchange for concessions from the prosecutors. These agreements allow prosecutors to focus their time and resources on other cases, and reduce the number of trials that judges need to oversee.

In plea bargains, prosecutors usually agree to reduce a defendant's punishment. They often accomplish this by reducing the number of charges of the severity of the charges against defendants. They might also agree to recommend that defendants receive reduced sentences. Some plea bargains require defendants to do more than simply plead guilty. For example, prosecutors often offer favorable plea bargains to defendants who agree to testify for the state in cases against other defendants.

According to the Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance, "The overwhelming majority (90 to 95 percent) of cases result in plea bargaining."

The Role of Judges
In some jurisdictions, prosecutors and defendants can work with judges to predetermine what sentence the defendants will get if the defendants accept plea bargains. In most jurisdictions, however, judges’ role in plea bargaining is limited. For example, federal judges retain final authority over sentencing decisions, and are not bound by prosecutors’ recommendations, even if the recommendations are part of plea bargains. Similarly, federal judges may not be directly involved in plea bargain negotiations.

Controversy Surrounding Plea Bargains
Although plea bargaining allows the criminal justice system to conserve resources, the plea bargains are controversial. Some commentators oppose plea bargains, as they feel that plea bargains allow defendants to shirk responsibility for the crimes they have committed. Others argue that plea bargains are too coercive and undermine important constitutional rights. Plea bargaining does require defendants to waive three rights protected by the Fifth and Sixth Amendments: the right to a jury trial, the right against self-incrimination, and the right to confront witnesses. The Supreme Court, however, in numerous cases (such as Brady v. United States, 397 U.S. 742 (1970) has held that plea bargaining is constitutional. The Supreme Court, however, has held that defendants’ guilty pleas must be voluntary, and that defendants may only plead guilty if they know the consequences of doing so. McCarthy v. United States 394 U.S. 459 (1969).

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A plea bargain is an agreement between a defendant and a prosecutor, in which the defendant agrees to plead guilty or "no contest" (nolo contendere) in exchange for an agreement by the prosecutor to drop one or more charges, reduce a charge to a less serious offense, or recommend to the judge a specific sentence acceptable to the defense.

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Plea Bargaining
When the Government has a strong case, the Government may offer the defendant a plea deal to avoid trial and perhaps reduce his exposure to a more lengthy sentence.

A defendant may only plead guilty if they actually committed the crime and admits to doing so in open court before the judge. When the defendant admits to the crime, they agree they are guilty and they agree that they may be “sentenced” by the judge presiding over the court — the only person authorized to impose a sentence. Sometimes the Government will agree, as part of a plea agreement, not to recommend an enhanced sentence (such as additional time in prison for certain reasons) but it is left up to the judge to determine how the defendant will be punished.

If a defendant pleads guilty, there is no trial, but the next step is to prepare for a sentencing hearing.

Quote (Santara @ Jul 29 2019 02:28pm)

#BlackGunsMatter

Quote (EndlessSky @ Jul 29 2019 05:32pm)

Actually a brilliant idea

Quote (Ghot @ Jul 29 2019 04:13pm)

Population density matters too. They published a study in Nature, back in the late 70's early 80's. They put mice in the same pop. density as the people in NYC.
The mice started killing each other, stealing food, raping , etc.

The US has densities approaching that of Indonesia as well... but generally in large cities. I just made the population point and the point that we had to count ALL murders, not just guns, when making comparisons.

I just didn't want to see UK US comparisons with incorrect assumptions... again.