Hatfield
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Yeah they move onto the arraignment. It should happen soon, it will be just like the first hearing - 1 or 2 minutes - but they will ask how he pleads. If it is significantly delayed it could mean the state and defense are working out a deal but it is almost never this early. Both sides want a chance to look at the results of any forensics.
Thanks. That makes perfect sense.
Im preparing myself for a not guilty plea because so many perps always plead not guilty even when evidence seems very strong they committed the crime.
This is JMO from watching past trials.
I learned of a couple reasons why a defense lawyer typically will encourage a defendant to plead not guilty at the arraignment of the charges. I am sure there are many more reasons but two of them are because
1-pleading not guilty starts a long delay process before a trial would ever get started and so much can change over time before the trial.
Witnesses may disappear or become unavailable, other legal wrongdoings related to the prosecution side may happen or be uncovered, many other changes can happen that favors the defense side of things over time. Its basically a delay to see what surfaces over time that the defense can use against the prosecution.
2-A defendent can always change their plea anyway at some point in the future so it doesnt hurt them to plead not guilty at first even if they plan to change their plea to a guilty plea.