How Plea Bargaining Works (And Why Innocent People Still Take the Deal)

EPISODE · Apr 22, 2026 · 37 MIN

How Plea Bargaining Works (And Why Innocent People Still Take the Deal)

from The Infamous Ex-Chief · host The Infamous Ex-Chief

Send us Fan Mail1If you're charged with a crime you didn't commit, you still might take the plea deal. That's not a bug in the system — it's a feature. Criminal defense attorney Edward F. Cohn has spent 23 years inside courtrooms in Arizona, Michigan, and Massachusetts watching this play out. In this episode of The Infamous Ex-Chief, we break down the trial penalty, why prosecutors make their move before you even step foot in a courtroom, and the hidden long-term consequences of a guilty plea that most defendants never see coming. Attorney Cohn holds an LLM from Boston University School of Law, a certificate in comprehensive negotiation from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and carries an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell — held by fewer than 10% of attorneys nationwide. Topics covered: — What the trial penalty actually is and why it exists — How early prosecutors push for pleas (and the leverage they use) — Hidden consequences: employment, housing, firearm rights, immigration — When to fight and when to take the deal — What Cohn would change about American plea bargaining today 🔗 Contact Atty. Cohn: cohn-justice.com | [email protected] | (520) 333-3348 📌 Subscribe to The Infamous Ex-Chief for accountability journalism, legal breakdowns, and content that holds power to account. #pleabargain   #criminaldefense  #trialpenalty #innocenceproject  #constitutionalrights  #wrongfulconviction  #criminaljustice  #theinfamousexchiefSupport the showVisit: https://www.liinks.co/the.infamous.exchief

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How Plea Bargaining Works (And Why Innocent People Still Take the Deal)

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