Opinion ID: 2014394
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Plea Bargaining Agreement.

Text: The affidavits of the defendant and his employer allege that the district attorney agreed not to recommend a jail sentence in exchange for a plea of guilty. The affidavits of the district attorney and a detective who was present allege that no plea agreement was made. Two other factors should be considered. First, the defendant initially entered a plea of no contest. He only pleaded guilty after he was informed of the effect of his initial plea. Second, the following conversation took place between the court and the district attorney. The Court: . . . Well, are you prepared to make a recommendation, Mr. Smith? Mr. Smith: Your Honor, I'd recommend some jail time; the exact period I'd leave up to the Court. . . . There was no objection to this conversation by either the defendant or his employer. When an accused seeks to withdraw his guilty plea, he has the burden of showing adequate grounds for withdrawal. . . . This burden is the clear and convincing evidence test and such burden is in accord with the rule in other jurisdictions. State v. Reppin, supra, at page 385. . . . If it is going to be permissible to withdraw a guilty plea because a plea agreement was violated, the first element which the accused should have to prove is that a plea agreement was actually made. LeFebre v. State (1968), 40 Wis. 2d 666, 672, 162 N. W. 2d 544. The defendant has not established that a plea agreement was made.