Plea Bargaining?
Plea Bargaining. It is a common scenario in criminal court. The accused may interpose a yes-guilty to a lesser offense which is necessarily included in the offense charged. However, it shall be with the consent of the offended party and the prosecutor. Otherwise, there would be no plea bargaining. As to what stage the accused may be allowed to have a plea bargaining. As provided in the Revised Rules of Criminal Procedure, at arraignment, the accused, with the consent of the offended party and the prosecutor, may be allowed by the trial court to plead guilty to a lesser offense which is necessarily included in the offense charged. Further, the same Rules also states that plea bargaining shall also be one of the things considered in the Pre-Trial Conference. In short, a plea bargaining is allowed for as long as the prosecutor has not offered yet any evidence to prove the guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt. However, in reality, some of the judges, may allow the ...