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Judge and prosecutors urge narrowing of S.B. 186 after warnings it could allow unrelated pleas for juveniles
Summary
Witnesses told the Judiciary Committee on Feb. 20 that S.B. 186, as written, could let juveniles charged with certain felonies enter plea agreements in criminal court to offenses unrelated to the jurisdictional charge; they urged adding language requiring a nexus or limiting pleas to related or lesser-included offenses.
On Feb. 20, the Judiciary Committee took testimony on S.B. 186, a proposal that would allow juveniles charged with certain felony offenses to enter plea agreements in the criminal division to offenses other than the original charge. Tom Zone, chief superior judge, and Kim McManus of the Department of State's Attorneys and Sheriffs told the committee the bill’s current language could broaden criminal-court pleas in ways the committee might not intend.
Tom Zone said he would focus on operational effects rather than policy but warned the statute contains no requirement that a plea be related to the jurisdictional charge. “There’s nothing in the statute that requires a relationship,” Zone said, illustrating a…
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