excel, ... "You obviously don't know how the system works."
Actually, I do know how it works. I have been a lawyer for over 40 years.
When I was a prosecutor (about 35 years ago) it worked the way I set forth. My contacts (younger ex-prosecutors) say it hasn't changed a whit since then.
The Government is very thorough once it has you in its sights. It wants to know everything you know. And, the questioning before the original plea agreement is agreed to goes far beyond the case you are charged in. If something comes up later that is not the subject of the exhaustive interrogation, the plea agreement provides that you will provide the information without a further reduction in sentence.
Because you want the lesser sentence, you make a clean breast of things. No talk; no deal. Talk with a forked tongue, and it later comes out; the deal is voided. You only get one chance to tell the whole truth.
Hold back about anything and later attempt to renegotiate the deal by telling more? It's looked upon as blackmail and frowned upon very seriously. The deal comes off the table.
In the eyes of the Government, Matt and his fellow scammers are just small-time, petty crooks. They are not Islamic terrorists or Mafia Dons. The Government gives small-time, petty crooks only once chance at a lower sentence. There are other fish to fry and other cases to try.
Have you had any experience with plea agreements? Or, did you stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night? ... eom
