Did you know that getting too many DWIs could land you in prison? You may have known that you could go to jail or prison for a short time, but in some cases, you could spend your life in prison permanently.
For this reason, it’s always a good idea to know your legal rights before you speak with the police. If you’re arrested, asking for your attorney and not talking about what you were doing or where you were going is important. If you’re convicted and have convictions in your past, then penalties could be life-altering.
A DWI could lead to a life sentence
According to news out of Odessa, Texas, one man pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated, and that resulted in a life sentence. In his background, he had a murder conviction as well as two felony DWIs and two misdemeanor DWIs. When the jury set his sentence for the latest offense, they showed no mercy.
Pleading guilty eliminates your defense options
You may think that pleading guilty will help your case, even if you weren’t impaired at the time, especially if you have a criminal record. That isn’t necessarily true. You deserve an opportunity to defend yourself.
Is pleading guilty ever a good idea? That’s something to talk to your attorney about, but usually, it’s smarter to look at the case first and consider all avenues of potential defense. There are many questions that need to be asked: Was the Breathalyzer test given correctly? Was the traffic stop legal? Were there any medical conditions that might have led to a high blood alcohol content or inaccurate test results?
If you’re facing a DWI, don’t assume that you need to plead guilty — and never assume that doing so will get you a lenient sentence. Working with an experienced legal advocate is wise.