Hi, rinkydink, and welcome to the forum. This is indeed a dilemma. I once watched a documrntary about plea bargains and how common they are nowadays. One defense attorney who was interviewed said something that really stuck in my mind. When faced with the very situation your husband is faced with, one young woman many years ago pled not guilty. She was sentenced to life in prison, where she sits today, 20 plus years later. Some law students decided to try and get her conviction overturned or at least get her sentence reduced. She was offered another chance at freedom, but she had to plead guilty to get her sentence reduced. She refused to plead guilty, because she insists she is innocent. Her defense attorney said he understood her decision, but also said, "Out is out!" She would at least be out of prison, if she had pled guilty. It's a really twisted world we live in, when you have to admit to a crime you didn't commit in order to stay OUT of prison.

Then, recently I saw a movie, based on a true story, with Hilary Swank, called "Conviction." She played a woman whose brother was wrongly convicted of murder and got a life sentence. She spent years going to law school and became a lawyer, just so she could work on her brother's case. She eventually, after 18 years, got him exonerated and his conviction overturned. It took another two years to get him released, because the DA did everything she could to block his release. As Swank's character was talking to his daughter, her neice, toward the end of the movie, the neice asked why this would happen. Swank's character said, "Because people don't like to admit they were wrong."

This is why plea bargaining is such a big trend. Prosecutors don't like to lose cases and defense attorneys are just in business for the money. They get paid whether the defendant pleads out or goes to prison. Actually, they have a better chance of getting paid, if the defendant is out and earning money.

I see what you're saying. Is holding fast to your innocence worth possibly spending 20+ years in prison? We are going to have to do a lot of soul searching and praying. I also know that living the life of a sex offender is not fun either. Thanks for your post. It really does help.

As hard as the life of a sex offender is OUTSIDE of prison, I would much rather help my sons through that, than feel helpless knowing what they would be going through INSIDE of prison. At least, I can hug them all I want and talk with them in private, if they are out.

You have to remember too that your legal representation plays a part. Going into a trial with a Government paid attorney (public Defender ) is just plain crazy. If he does a good job defending your against the charges the government will never use him again. I was forced into a plea bargan in a situation similar to yours and still do not know what was the right thing to do 24 years later.

its a hard call and I wish ou all the best....But the truth is you can't tellt he future and and either way who knows what will happen if you go to trial. You may come out on the up side which would be amazing....or the down in which case there is jail and still have to register....both choices you face a brutal battle within yourselves... If you take the plea it might be worse then if you went to trial. the "what if" will most likely haunt you and not knowing what would happen if you took it to trial, would the nightmare be over in a few months or instead of the rest of your life would only be an uphill battle with trying to fit into a life where people think you and your family are monsters.
My opinion may only be mine, but I belive it is better to try and fail then to never try at all. And again on you and your husband have to decide what your gut feeling is telling you and through the tears and pain which I'm sure you are getting to know very well, decide what you can handle if the the outcome is the worst be prepared it could be a long long road. Please keep us posted and I wish you and your husband the BEST of LUCK

IMO. it would depend what state you're in. Each one has differences in the registry and how it's applied. My hubby took a plea for something he didn't do. He got 3 mos. in jail and 10 years on the registry and 3 yrs probation (which can be cut down if we pay off the fine)
BUT, our state doesn't have registry restrictions, and neither does our town and what he pled to was misdemeanor. They also don't have any of the other stupid laws that alot of states have and no ankle bracelets etc. he has to register and do what his PO says and that's it. And he can live with our sons.
We went thru a trial and got a hung jury, and felt after seeing what tricks the DA was playing it was just better to go this route.
So far, i'm glad we did.

sorry I mean RESIDENCY restrictions as in, footage near bus-stops, churches, daycares, schools etc.

Faerydark, what state are you in? And what tricks was the DA playing? By "DA" do you mean defense attorney?

district attny. hubby had a public defender.
the DA (assistant actually) was for one, overheard stating she didn't care about my husband's guilt or innocense...she just wanted to win a case where she had virtually no real evidence. My pastor heard her tell her 'lackey".that.
Then she was, for all intents and purposes coaching the accuser on what to say on rebuttal and I heard that myself and not just me, but several others.
The way the courthouse is laid off the accuser and her "cheering section" were kept just down the hall from where we were sitting.
Oh and she attempted to have nearly all our evidence pushed under the Rape shield law
Oh, and I'm Pennsylvania