Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Sentencing Plea topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Defendant accepts deferred adjudication after officer-involved crash plea discussions
Summary
After a lengthy hearing about a collision that injured a deputy, the defendant, Rakim Asmore, accepted a deferred-adjudication plea; the judge imposed conditions including parenting classes, GPS monitoring steps and community service.
During a sentencing hearing on a case arising from a motor-vehicle incident that injured a deputy, Judge Stephanie Boyd offered defendant Rakim Asmore two options: a prison term capped at twelve years or deferred adjudication. Asmore told the court he intended to pursue deferred adjudication, and the court accepted that plea.
The court recorded that Asmore had entered a plea of no contest in March; the state opposed deferred adjudication but did not object to the court following the plea agreement. The judge sentenced Asmore to ten years’ deferred adjudication with a $1,500 fine and an affirmative finding of family violence, and set conditions including no contact with the complainant, 200 hours of community service (with one hundred hours creditable for parenting classes), regular reporting to probation, random UA testing, proof of employment within thirty days, and attendance at Batterers Intervention and Prevention (BIP) and other programs. The court also required field visits and partial GPS conditions tied to employment as part of an initial monitoring plan.
At the hearing defense counsel urged the court to follow the negotiated plea and highlighted Asmore’s custody and work needs. Witnesses and family members attested to Asmore’s role as a caregiver and to recent completion of certain classes; defense counsel said Asmore had been in custody for an extended period and that rehabilitation opportunities would reduce recidivism. The judge indicated concern about the deputy’s injuries but balanced that against Asmore’s age, family connections and pretrial compliance in deciding to retain jurisdiction and grant deferred adjudication.
The transcript shows the court carefully reviewed plea forms and admonishments with Asmore and his attorney, accepted stipulations of testimony and exhibits, and explicitly advised Asmore that, because of the plea bargain and waiver of appeal, he would not have the court’s permission to appeal and he was prohibited from possessing weapons under state law. The judge also instructed Asmore to pursue treatment on release and offered court assistance with placement if needed.
The deferred adjudication plan includes reporting, treatment referrals, and monitoring conditions the court said were intended to prioritize rehabilitation while protecting the public and the complainant.
