Legal Question in Criminal Law in North Carolina

Pleading in a capital case

Somewhere I got the notion that you could not plead guilty in a death penalty case. Is it possible to by-pass a trial in a death penalty case by pleading guilty? My understanding was that a death penalty case had to go to trial and there was an automatic appeal of a guilty verdict.


Asked on 6/04/03, 2:11 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Jim Griffin The Law Office of James L. Griffin

Re: Pleading in a capital case

There is nothing to prohibit a defendant from entering a guilty plea in a capital case. The defendant may do so. Generally, a defendant may want to do this to avoid the death penalty. Life vs death.

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Answered on 6/04/03, 2:25 pm


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