The off-duty Miami cop clocked by a state trooper going 120 mph last fall will take a plea deal, a prosecutor said Tuesday after a brief court hearing.
The officer will plead no contest on April 3rd to a charge of reckless driving, a misdemeanor that carries a maximum of 90 days in jail. Prosecutors will not seek jail or probation -- with one condition; he must pay the cost of prosecution in full, which is $3,300.
If he doesn't bring the check to court, the state's position is it could be a 90-day administrative probation (non-reporting probation) terminated upon full payment.'
Had the officer proceeded to trial, he could have been sentenced to up to 90 days in jail if found guilty. Plea offers prior to trial, especially in misdemeanor cases, are not uncommon. I do not believe that this officer is receiving any special treatment. However, cost of prosecution is normally about $100. It's apparent that the State Attorney's Office had retained experts in anticipation of trial.
Call Eric Matheny to discuss criminal cases in Miami-Dade or Broward.