“No Contest” Plea Cuts Jail Sentence by 85 Percent
For many prosecutors, going to trial represents a hassle worth avoiding. That’s why so many cases involve plea bargaining nowadays.
Of course, no two cases are identical, so plea deals can vary greatly. Defendants have the chance to negotiate, and they can receive dramatically reduced sentences by taking the time to find an aggressive DUI attorney who will fight to secure a deal that is in their favor. Despite the emergence of services like RJF Felons which help offenders to find work after being released from prison, the longer your sentence is, the less chance you have of being able to get your life back on track when you return to society. Not to mention the longer you have to spend in difficult prison conditions. Plea bargaining is not an exact science, and doing it well requires the right combination of experience and skill.
At The Law Offices of Michael M. Raheb, P.A., we’ve successfully represented hundreds of defendants, and we aggressively seek the best possible outcomes for our clients. We specialize in DUI law and have experience handling a variety of cases that involve vehicular homicide, road-rage charges and resisting arrest. To arrange a free consultation with a Fort Myers defense lawyer, please call 866-949-0888.
Plea Deal Ends Trial Over Fatal Accident
One year ago, police arrested Riley Dean Hoover after he allegedly struck a college student who was crossing the street before driving away. Police apprehended Hoover in his apartment after finding broken pieces of his vehicle at the scene. During the arrest, officers also found a large amount of drugs at Hoover’s apartment and accused him of running a drug-ring.
Meanwhile, the hit-and-run victim died after spending two days in the hospital. Hoover faced several felony charges including money laundering, selling marijuana, hit-and-run and DUI. According to the Hudson Hub-Times, he initially pleaded not guilty to each charge. Before the trial date, the prosecutor approached him, and together with his defense lawyer, Hoover negotiated a deal.
Recently, he pleaded guilty to two charges. In exchange, Hoover received a drastically lower prison sentence than he originally faced. He will now spend approximately six years behind bars, which is only about 15 percent of the possible term.
Another Driver Also Used a No Contest Plea to His Advantage
A prominent businessman ended his DUI trial by pleading no contest. Darrin Fikstad faced multiple felony DUI charges after he failed field-sobriety tests during a traffic stop. He pleaded no contest to a single charge as part of a plea deal, and prosecutors dropped the rest. The Desert Dispatch reports that this isn’t the first time he’s faced DUI charges. In 2003, Fikstad struck a similar deal with prosecutors and pleaded no contest to one charge. A judge sentenced him to 15 days in jail, suspended his license and ordered him to two years of probation.
Facing DUI charges for the first time can be frightening, especially if you are looking at a long prison sentence for a fatal accident. At The Law Offices of Michael M. Raheb, P.A., we can offer you reliable legal advice at every step, and we’ll work tirelessly to reach a resolution that is in your favor. To speak with a DUI attorney, please call 866-949-0888.
