This is usually referred to as a plea bargain. You are offered the chance to either go to trial on the original (usually more severe) charge against you, or plead guilty to a lesser offense (with a lesser penalty) without having to go to trial.
plea bargaining
A "plea bargain".
The jury does not decide what punishment the defendant gets, the judge does. The only thing the jury decides is whether the defendant is guilty or not guilty of what he is accused of.
The advantage is that there is no risk that a jury would find the defendant not guilty. Even if the defendant makes a plea bargain and pleads guilty to a lesser offense, at least the defendant will not get avoid any punishment.
The Judge determines the punishment once the verdict has been read and the defendant found guilty.
An open plea is when a defendant pleads guilty without an agreement regarding punishment.
A defendant is punished after the jury has listened to the evidence during a trial, and decides whether or not the defendant is guilty.Added: After the jury delivers its decision the defendant will be sentenced by the judge according to the applicable law - then - the defendant's "punishment" will commence.
Co-defendants can be sentenced differently. They do not have to all be found guilty or not guilty.
the defendant pleads guilty
Yes, they can but customarily the court will not allow it without the defendant having full access to their defense attorney for advice. The reason for this is so that the defendant may not subsequently appeal his "uninformed" plea and it will not be over-turned on appeal because the defendant was refused his right to counsel. .
The four pleas a defendant may use in a criminal case are guilty, not guilty, guilty but mentally ill, and nolo contendere (no contest). A defendant who pleads guilty admits their responsibility for the crime. Pleading not guilty indicates that the defendant denies the charges and intends to contest them. A guilty but mentally ill plea acknowledges guilt but asserts that the defendant had a mental illness at the time of the offense. A nolo contendere plea means the defendant does not contest the charges but does not admit guilt.
Don't understand what is meant by the question. THAT's what prosecutors DO! Their job is to attempt to prove that the defendant IS guilty, and that his not guilty plea is a lie.
Sentencing is last step in a criminal prosecution if the defendant is found guilty.
a plea The defendant PLEADS 'not guilty'