North Carolina v. Alford: A (kinda) Guilty Plea and Free Choice | Criminal Law

Today, we're going to look at North Carolina v. Alford, 400 U.S. 25 (1970), a case of a (kinda) guilty plea, known now as an Alford Plea. In it, Alford stated he had not committed the crime, but that he acknowledged the State had a boat load of evidence and could pretty much show he had. In desiring to avoid the death penalty, he pled to a lesser included offense. It's a case that goes through what a guilty plea is, should be, and could be. When entering a guilty plea, should defendants have to admit their guilt, or only want the whole thing to be over? Or somewhere in between?

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[slothlaw]

Thanks again for watching everybody! We've had our first case recommendation!! The next video coming out will be Penn v. Mimms, so keep an eye out, and keep the recommendations coming! Enjoy the weekend!!

[scottkoenig]

Is that you at the very beginning of the video? I guess no; what say thee?
Either way, you've conjured yet another uplifting presentation I can see.
The Alford character was in quite a predicament whichever way he chose.
His shotgun blast was his and his alone and in any event, the blood did flow.
It seems to me, the plea bargain is a helpful tool to keep the dockets low.
When a defendant with a reasonable mind freely accepts the second-degree label
what business is it for the 4th Federal Circuit to intrude and therefore enable
the lower court's workings to be made null and void?
Perhaps we might implore the ghost of Sigmund Freud
to see what makes a man's mind tick and cooly decide to sit in prison instead of being placed on death row. THANKS! (I tried)

[andrewgilblom]

Is it lawful for a prosecutor to offer say 6 months house arrest for a plea. Defendant doesn't take plea then prosecutor goes for 6 months in