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Pre-sentencing

Interview with Lance, Ana and Jack

JM: Tell us about the pre-sentencing process:
Lance: I had an argument with my sister and the cops came. They said I was threatening them and they took me to jail.
Ana: There is an arraignment where you are told of your charges. You can make a plea at this time if you desire. If not, there will be a preliminary hearing following that where you can plead guilty or innocent and/or you may be offered a deal. I recommend pleading innocent for two to four hearings, because generally the plea bargain that the prosecution offers you will get better and better the longer you hold out.
Jack: I was out on bond and spoke with multiple lawyers about my charge. I showed up at my first court appearance to find a representative of the public defenders office waiting for me to brief me on my case. I then was scheduled for another court hearing in which i spoke to the court about my case. Then i was offered a plea agreement and a notice of two weeks to sign it. Upon signing the plea i was processed and was placed into jail.

JM: Did you have police stop by your house for questioning? If not please give us details on how you came to be arrested.
Lance: They came to my house and arrested me. They were very aggressive with me. They opened the door and they were yelling. One pulled his gun out.
Ana: In the most recent incident I was on probation and my p.o. had me come in to her office at the prescott jail. She had filed a petition to revoke and she had me arrested there. Prior to that, my charge was DWI and I was taken from the vehicle I was driving to provide a urinalysis. I was then let go and later charged and when I went to court I ended up pleading guilty and was taken into custody from court.
Jack: I had police come by my house to indict me on several other charges after my initial arrest. I pulled into work and found the convenience store i was working for was being raided by the local task force, An officer who had previously given me a dui was running security at the convenience store and supposed i was under the influence.

JM: What was court like? Please give as many details as you recall.
Lance: My attorney Matthew Cochrane was court appointed. He told me they were going to drop this, give me some court time, and probation. He said after probation the felony would go away. My sister went in and told the judge I was a horrible person, and the judge agreed with her. The judge said I needed to spend a alot of time in jail and she would have given me more time if she could have.
Ana: Very inefficient. You are shackled and cuffed and led in w/ many. You are assigned a public defender and eventually they call you to the microphone, advise you of charges and ask for your plea. Then you are reset for another date usually far off in the future. Then you sit there for several more hours until the five to twenty-five inmates that you are transported with are done.
Jack: Court was stressful. Filled with people who jobs consisted of either working against you or people trying to get you the best deal, in which there is no good deal. I felt like my life was at stake and everyone else was just playing a game that i had been brought into. This guy helps that guy. That man knows this man better, so we got a chance t a good deal. etc etc. One big Zoo.

JM: What were your original charges? What did you end up being convicted of?
Lance: Original charges were two counts of threatening and intimindating, attempted aggravated assault, and resisting arrest I was convicted of all but resisting arrest.
Ana: Promoting prison contraband. The same.
Jack: Aggrevated DUI. Improper use of ebt food stamps.

Read about sentencing in the Yavapai County Jail