He decided not to take a guilty plea because he believed he would be exonerated at trial. I don’t disagree with the guilty plea. I do think it is an appalling abuse of the justice system to seek a life sentence for him following conviction. I surmise that whoever advised him to fight had no idea that the prosecutors would seek such an abusive sentence for this man upon conviction.
You don't believe he did the things he was convicted of? You don't believe he knowingly hired illegals? You don't believe he participated in falsifying their documents?