Posted on 08/30/2007 9:27:22 AM PDT by goldstategop
Sen. Larry E. Craig said he had retained a lawyer to examine his case, suggesting that he may attempt to withdraw his guilty plea. That may be possible in some circumstances, legal experts say, but he would risk having more serious charges reinstated and the public exposure of other details of the restroom incident that has imperiled his congressional career.
Ordinarily, Minnesota law allows defendants to withdraw plea agreements in limited situations where there has been "manifest injustice." Courts have interpreted that narrowly -- where prosecutors have not upheld their end of a plea bargain, for example, or where a defendant was denied access to a lawyer. Craig, an Idaho Republican, waived his right to a lawyer, and the $500 fine he paid for disorderly conduct was typical for a first-time offender.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Several lawyers in Minnesota said that Craig could have avoided the embarrassment of having to admit committing a crime if he had first hired a lawyer. Minnesota, like many states, has a program that allows first-time offenders to have charges against them dropped after a year if they do not engage in any further misconduct.
"Very likely, a lawyer would have gotten one of those dispositions . . . and Craig could have said, 'I never admitted I did anything wrong,' " said Stephen M. Simon, a professor at the University of Minnesota law school who runs a legal defense clinic that represents indigent inner-city men charged with prostitution and indecent exposure, among other crimes.
"A lot of these men . . . are horribly embarrassed," Simon said. "That explains the dynamics of him not going to a lawyer."
NOTE TO DUMBASS U.S SENATOR: Only fools fail to retain an attorney in a criminal case!
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
He doesn’t learn does he?
He was initially caught for “tapping his feet” and now he is tap-dancing non-stop .....LOL
I didn't know they gave mulligans on guilty pleas. /sarc
Well, if he's truly innocent of the lewd crime I suppose he doesn't care about this.
Oh, sheesh.
If there's one thing I don't believe it's the opinion of the nefarious "several lawyers".
He’s clearly a dumbass.
Just come out of the closet, admit that you’ve had homosexual feelings, you’ve made mistakes, and America will forgive. You might even get to keep your Senate seat. After all, even conservatives don’t want to be seen as trying to unseat an openly gay man just because of his sexual orientation.
What an idiot. Not like the police beat a confession out of him nor was he denied access to a lawyer. Fool.
Go ahead Sen. Craig and withdraw that Guilty Plea.
Then, take it to trial.
That is the last thing the GOP and country needs.
Larry Craig needs to stop lying to Larry Craig.
When I heard Larry the Fairy speak in Boise on Tuesday I heard a hysterical old queen blaming the Idaho Statesman for his literally getting caught with his pants down.
Now this?
Larry, baby! When you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.
He has disgraced his office, the state of Idaho, and the citizens who elected him. RESIGN NOW!
I decided to end my support of him when he proudly wrote the part of the Shamnesty bill that would reward all of his corporate farm sponsors. He doesn’t care about the people - he cares only about his power and privileged position.
I don’t have a problem with him withdrawing his guilty ot trying to...
Just do it as a private citizen, not as a sitting U.S. Senator.
Yep.
I find it almost inconceivable that he didn't at least consult an attorney before entering his plea.
If he has any honor at all he'll resign. But then again he's a politician.
[Sen. Craig, just admit that you like to suck men off and stop living a lie.]
Ouch! That cuts right to the bone. The truth often does.
Many who knew him knew that he was a closeted gay man. They should have said what I posted to him years ago.
This story about Craig will stay in the top news to cover the latest Hillary campaign fund story and get it off the lime-light..!!!!!...........
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