Many Top Execs Choosing Trials Over Pleas
By Jeralyn, Section Crime in the News
Posted on Sun Jan 11, 2004 at 05:30:15 AM EST
Tags: (all tags)
Posted on Sun Jan 11, 2004 at 05:30:15 AM EST
Tags: (all tags)
More and more top level execs are choosing trials over plea bargains. Why? Sometimes they have no one to rat out above them. Sometimes the sentence concessions aren't enough. Many of them don't believe they did anything wrong.
In 2002, 86% of defendants charged in federal court pleaded guilty. That may be changing in 2004. Between steeper guidelines for financial crimes, Ashcroft's memos directing prosecutors to charge the most serious offense possible and available deep pockets to finance a top-notch defense, it makes sense to say to the Government, "Prove it."
First up: Martha Stewart; Frank Quattrone (retrial following mistrial); Rigas Family(Adelphia); and Scott Sullivan (WorldCom). Still on the fence: The Fastows (Enron).
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