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Pre-sentencing

Interview with Cesar, Tom, Bruce and Jon

JM: Tell us about the pre-sentencing process:
Cesar: Well honestly I not sure what part of the process they called pre-sentencing. But I arrested and jailed for two days released on OR and met with Public Defender at the time of my second court appearance. There and then we struck a deal.
Tom: THE PRE SENTENCING PROCESS WAS VERY PROFESSIONAL, AS I HAD SEVERAL ATTORNEYS THAT WERE PRESENT.
Bruce: pre-sentencing there is not much to say about. i was there for several months waiting to go to trial, then a few days before my trial date my public defender visited me with a plea offer which i accepted so when my trial date came i didn't have a trial it was to sign the papers of the plea agreement so my sentencing was already determined
Jon: I was taken to my First Appearance where I found out that I was being charged with a crime I did not commit. After I had got my charges I met on multiple occasions with my public defender who refused to let me have any copies of my police report and tried to have me plea out to a bargain that was in the interest of the prosecutor and made me plea to a group of crimes I did not commit. In the end I was given a strike and made to plea for a charge that was a lot more serious then what I had actually committed.

JM: Did you have police stop by your house for questioning? If not please give us details on how you came to be arrested.
Cesar: No. I was homeless at the time.
Tom: AT THE TIME OF MY ARREST I WAS HOMELESS IN SPOKANE HAVING COME UP FROM SEATTLE, SO MY HOME AT THAT POINT WOULD HAVE BEEN OUR CLUB. WHERE I FIRST STARTED TO ATTEND MEETINGS, AFTER REALIZING THAT I HAD AND AM NOW RECOVERING A SERIES COCAINE PROBLEM, SO OUR CLUB WAS WHERE I FIRST STARTED THE PROGRAM.
Bruce: i was in a older toyota pick-up out side of town and a state cop ended up behind me and pulled me over because my left rear tire looked like it could be a little low. after running my name he found that i had a warrant for missing my last court date
Jon: I was arrested in a neighborhood on 29th street behind the Numerica in the wooded area. I had left Hastings and was proceeded to be followed by store employees since I did not stop when the door beeped as I exited. I crossed the street as soon as I was out of the store and then noticed the 2 employees following me, 1 grabbed me and tried to pull me back to the store so I fled away again but was contiued to be followed by the store, after I had ran and realized that I was not going to be able to get away I sat down and two officers showed up and forcefully shoved me into the car even though I was showing no resistance.

JM: What was court like? Please give as many details as you recall.
Cesar: Very brief. I made two court appearances. First charge was read and I was OR'd. I was given a second date and there I met with the attorney and struck a deal.
Tom: MY COURT APPEARANCE A LITTLE NERVE RACKING BUT OTHER THAN THAT, IT WENT ALRIGHT, WHAT I DID NOT REALIZE AT THE TIME IS THAT THEY ALL THOUGHT THEY WERE IN A MOVIE, I MYSELF DID NOT THINK THAT.
Bruce: court as usual was a joke,there is too many cases for the few overworked public defenders. so first appearance only takes a few minutes, once you do finally get before the judge who is on t.v. and its mostly the judge and the prosecutor discussing whether you should be O.R.ed or what your bail will be, arraignment is quick too, again, once you get in front of the judge who's on t.v. again. they read the charges and ask if you plead guilty or not guilty, which is foolish because they wont let you plead guilty, then you're given your next court date they call the omnibus hearing,all that is is you go before the judge and he asks your lawyer if you are ready for trial and then gives you a trial readiness date and a trial date usually about a week apart.trial readiness you appear and the judge asks if you are going to move forward to trial,if yes then he gives you another trial date 30 or so days from then, if you make a plea deal with the prosecutor you then show up at your trial date to sign papers and stand before the judge and he asks if you understand the plea agreement and that even though you have made or been offered a certain deal that he does not have to go by it and by entering a guilty plea he can give you the max fine and jail time associated with the charges
Jon: Court was a waste of a large amount of money and time. I was not given a fair trial since I was not allowed to take my case to the box since my Public Defender told me it was impossible to win my case. I was not allowed to prepare my own defense and was never shown the police reports or what evidence the prosecuting attorneys got to see.

JM: What were your original charges? What did you end up being convicted of?
Bruce: my original charges were; attempting to elude, 1st degree possession of stolen property,giving false information to a police officer. i was convicted of bail jumping
Jon: My original charges were Theft 1, Robbery 1 and 1st Degree Trafficking Stolen Property. I was advised to plea out by taking Robbery 2 charge which I found out was a strike and makes me into a violent criminal and I also plead to theft 2.

Read about sentencing in the Spokane County Jail