“There is a higher court than courts of justice and that is the court of conscience. It supercedes all other courts.” – Mahatma Gandhi
Today, May 1, 2012 at 9:30am I signed a plea deal. Attached below are scanned copies of the terms. The long and short of it is that I will be going to jail for 60-115 days, starting May 7th at 4:20pm. Even though it will be a tough experience, I feel a sense of relief because I have certainty whereas I had none before.
I was facing 4 trials, with charges collectively totaling about 9 years in jail. Even if I were found not guilty by a jury in each case, I would still serve about 80 days jail time in fines. This is essentially a time-saver. It’s like a bully is forcing me to choose between the unattractive options of being kicked in the shins today or being knocked out sometime in the next year. By signing the plea deal, I’m mitigating my potential exposure to further harm.
Hindsight is 20/20, and while I’ve taken note of my mistakes, I don’t regret my actions because they were always totally peaceful. No one is alleging that I have harmed anybody or damaged any property. The past year in Keene has been an invaluable learning experience, and I’d prefer to take a hit for living free than to allow paralyzing fear to cause inaction.
