A man in New Jersey was recently charged with committing a weapon-related crime against his family members while intoxicated back in July. Rather than going to trial to fight this charge, he decided to take a plea deal. Likewise, other people who are accused of committing gun crimes in the Garden State have the option of pursuing a plea agreement, which may be more personally advantageous than going to trial.
The New Jersey man who was recently charged with a gun crime admitted to getting into a drunken argument with his loved ones and then threatening to shoot them. He said that, at that time, he was in possession of an assault rifle-style semi-automatic weapon. He ended up pleading guilty to the possession of a firearm in the second degree as well as to third-degree terrorist-related threats.
If the plea deal goes through, the man will receive a sentence of 180 days behind bars with probation. In addition, he will have to participate in a program that focuses on anger management and will also need to undergo an evaluation for substance abuse.
Those accused of gun crimes in New Jersey have the right to proceed to trial to vigorously fight their charges, or they can pursue plea deals. The benefit of a plea agreement is that it may lead to a lighter charge and therefore a lighter sentence than what may result following a guilty verdict at trial. Either way, an attorney will push for the best outcome for the defendant given the circumstances surrounding his or her criminal case.