Brooklyn Federal Courthouse hosts roundtable discussion
In 2012, the United States Supreme Court issued two rulings regarding effective counsel and plea bargaining. In both cases, Missouri v. Frye and Lafler v. Cooper, the court held that the right to effective counsel granted in the 6th Amendment extends to plea bargains and negotiations.
On April 8, the New York State-Federal Judicial Council will host a roundtable discussion to determine how these recent rulings will impact plea bargains in New York. Plea bargains are negotiation deals between defense counsel and the prosecution in a criminal case in which the defendant agrees to enter a plea of guilty for a reduced sentence.
In some instances, the plea bargain includes services that may be beneficial to the defendant, such as drug rehabilitation and job training workshops.