“‘I’m Gonna Deny It’ – Defendant Rejects 15-Year Plea Deal on Camera” скачать в хорошем качестве

“‘I’m Gonna Deny It’ – Defendant Rejects 15-Year Plea Deal on Camera”

In this real courtroom clip from Jefferson County, Texas, defendant Christopher Keller appears with his attorney as the State puts a rejected plea offer on the record right before the jury is brought in. Keller is indicted in two separate cases: Deadly conduct (third-degree felony) Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon (second-degree felony involving a firearm) Because of a prior burglary of a habitation conviction, the punishment ranges are enhanced: The deadly conduct case could carry 2–20 years The aggravated assault with a deadly weapon could be bumped up to a first-degree range: 5–99 years or life, with no jury probation available To resolve everything, the State offers 15 years in TDC on the aggravated assault, with the deadly conduct case dismissed. After talking it over “numerous times” with his lawyer, Keller states clearly on the record that he’s going to deny the offer and go to trial. From there, Judge John Stevens Jr. addresses a large jury panel, giving a mini “law school” on: The Constitution, self-government, and why jury service matters The difference between being presumed innocent “UNLESS” found guilty vs TV’s usual “until” The burden of proof: beyond a reasonable doubt, not beyond all possible doubt How Texas criminal trials are bifurcated into a guilt/innocence phase and a separate punishment phase How prior felony convictions can enhance a second-degree case up to a first-degree or even habitual range The prosecutors then question the panel about: What assault and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon legally mean How “bodily injury” can be as simple as causing pain What counts as a deadly weapon and how cases are proven without CSI-style “perfect evidence” The defense follows with its own voir dire, reminding jurors that: The State carries the burden of proof Juries must judge credibility and totality of the circumstances This may only be “a day or two” of trial for them, but the stakes for the defendant are huge If you’re interested in real courtroom drama, plea negotiations, jury selection, and how judges teach jurors about the law, this clip shows what happens before a high-stakes aggravated assault trial even begins. 🔔 Subscribe for more real trial clips, voir dire sessions, and legal breakdowns from actual courtrooms. 👍 Comment below: Would YOU have taken the 15-year deal, or rolled the dice on a jury?