A plea bargain in return for a lighter sentence would be the best legal option for a Taiwanese high-school student accused of making terrorist threats in the US, famed Taiwanese-American forensic scientist Henry Lee (李昌鈺) said yesterday in Taipei.
Lee, who is visiting Taiwan to discuss crime fighting efforts in the 21st century with local law enforcement officials, told reporters that 18-year-old Sun An-tso (孫安佐) should seek to avoid standing trial by entering a plea bargain.
Sun was arrested on March 26 on charges of making terroristic threats against his Pennsylvania high school, and was later charged with possessing instruments of crime.
Photo: CNA
His lawyer Robert Keller said Sun has waived his right to a preliminary hearing and would likely plead guilty to the first charge in the hope that the district attorney’s office will drop the second one.
Sun’s case could be resolved more easily if the two charges were uncoupled, Lee said.
If Sun pleads guilty, his attorney can negotiate with the district attorney’s office and the judge for a lighter sentence, focusing on a lack of real intent by Sun to carry out his threat and a harmless interest in guns and video games, Lee said.
“If everything went well for Sun, he might even be able to have his criminal record expunged in the future,” Lee said.
Sun faces a formal arraignment hearing on May 23.
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