Two days after his arrest on April 7, Mr Michael gave a television interview in which he hinted he would plead guilty to the charges against him.

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With a nod of his head, Mr Bemba acknowledged the judge's welcome to him, and through his lawyer, he proceeded to plead not guilty to all five charges against him.

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"The odds are so heavily stacked against a defendant who chooses to plead not guilty and then is subsequently found guilty that the vast majority of people facing trial in the US opt to take a plea agreement, " she said.

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Mr. Taub told the jury that the alleged crew's fifth member, Ariel Tejada, 23, agreed to plead guilty to murder and robbery in exchange for testifying against Messrs.

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Lewis agreed to plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge of obstruction of justice and testify against his friends.

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Mr Allan said Smith had "everything to gain" by choosing to plead guilty to a lesser charge and giving evidence for the Crown against the two men.

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The serious charges against three other defendants were also dropped, after they agreed to plead guilty to minor misdemeanours and do community service.

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Many of these defendants do later plead guilty before their trial begins, as Mr Straw complains, but half of them do so after the charges against them have been reduced.

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