# Ariel Castro pleads not guilty (Cleveland kidnapper/rapist) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 12, 2013, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-castro-pleads-not-guilty-cleveland-kidnapper-rapist/660827 "2013-06-12T17:31:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glory)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-castro-pleads-not-guilty-cleveland-kidnapper-rapist/660827/1 "2013-06-12T17:31:42Z")
I don’t understand [this plea](http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/06/12/18918242-ariel-castro-pleads-not-guilty-to-329-charges-in-cleveland-kidnappings?lite)at all - wouldn’t he be better pleading guilty and taking a deal? The death penalty is on the table! ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-castro-pleads-not-guilty-cleveland-kidnapper-rapist/660827/2 "2013-06-12T17:37:59Z")
Was there a deal being offered? I don’t really see why the prosecutor would want to offer him one. It’s a guaranteed conviction in a high visibility case. And if you’re a capital punishment proponent, Ariel Castro is pretty much the poster boy for people who deserve to be put to death. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-castro-pleads-not-guilty-cleveland-kidnapper-rapist/660827/3 "2013-06-12T17:44:12Z")
Plea deals are almost never worked out at the time of the initial appearance. In our jurisdiction, you couldn’t plead guilty at arraignment if you wanted to. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-castro-pleads-not-guilty-cleveland-kidnapper-rapist/660827/4 "2013-06-12T17:50:43Z")
Wasn’t his claim that he was messed up due to abuse from when he was a kid? Maybe they’re going with some kind of insanity defence. At any rate, he can change his plea to “guilty” later on, right? EDIT: Procrustus answered my question. ---
**Author:** ![Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glory)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-castro-pleads-not-guilty-cleveland-kidnapper-rapist/660827/5 "2013-06-12T18:01:47Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Plea deals are almost never worked out at the time of the initial appearance. In our jurisdiction, you couldn’t plead guilty at arraignment if you wanted to. That’s interesting, I didn’t know that! Ignorance fought. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-castro-pleads-not-guilty-cleveland-kidnapper-rapist/660827/6 "2013-06-12T19:14:24Z")
Wouldn’t you want to have a lot to bargain with if you’re planning to negotiate a plea deal later? I assumed this way they’ve got the most to give up in exchange. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2013, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-castro-pleads-not-guilty-cleveland-kidnapper-rapist/660827/7 "2013-07-12T20:59:34Z")
Update:[He now faces an additional 977 charges](http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57593545-504083/ariel-castro-update-cleveland-kidnapping-suspect-faces-977-new-charges/) on top of the 329 filed a while back. The DA’s office has (so far) filed a total of 1,306 charges against this man. That has \*\*\*got \*\*\*to be a record. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2013, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-castro-pleads-not-guilty-cleveland-kidnapper-rapist/660827/8 "2013-07-13T00:16:06Z")
I read about this case in the paper most every day. I don’t want the victims dragged through a trial. I would normally wish the death penalty, if he is found guilty, but in this case the thought of him spending the rest of his life in a little cement room would be fitting. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2013, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-castro-pleads-not-guilty-cleveland-kidnapper-rapist/660827/9 "2013-07-13T00:41:36Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > The DA’s office has (so far) filed a total of 1,306 charges against this man. That has \*\*\*got \*\*\*to be a record. So, if he’s convicted on all of them, and he gets a whopping ONE MONTH in jail on each charge, that should keep him off the streets for long enough! Yeah, he should make a plea deal. Agree to plead guilty to all charges, in return for a very lenient sentence of one month on each charge. NOT to be served concurrently, of course. And no parole. ---
**Author:** ![Sarabellum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarabellum/32/3492_2.png) [@Sarabellum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarabellum)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2013, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-castro-pleads-not-guilty-cleveland-kidnapper-rapist/660827/10 "2013-07-14T01:44:17Z")
Whichever option will keep his victims safe, happy, wealthy, and out of the public eye is the one that works for me. Death penalty sounds great. Tailor made for this scum. Guaranteed life term in a cement box? Sounds great as well. Dose of his own medicine. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2013, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-castro-pleads-not-guilty-cleveland-kidnapper-rapist/660827/11 "2013-07-14T20:31:07Z")
I would love to be the prosecutor in the plea negotiations: Mr. Castro, if you take this to trial, you are looking at 4 death sentences and 14,500 years in prison. Here’s my generous deal: You plead guilty now, you only get 1 death sentence and 6,000 years in prison. You have 10 seconds to decide. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2013, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-castro-pleads-not-guilty-cleveland-kidnapper-rapist/660827/12 "2013-07-14T20:42:01Z")
If he pulled that shit in Texas, he’d probably be dead already! ---
**Author:** ![computergeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e56c9b/32.png) [@computergeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/computergeek)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2013, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-castro-pleads-not-guilty-cleveland-kidnapper-rapist/660827/13 "2013-07-14T20:43:40Z")
I’m not understanding why the death penalty is even a possibility since none of the women were killed. Would causing miscarriages even count? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2013, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-castro-pleads-not-guilty-cleveland-kidnapper-rapist/660827/14 "2013-07-14T21:20:32Z")
> [@computergeek](#): > > I’m not understanding why the death penalty is even a possibility since none of the women were killed. Would causing miscarriages even count? Under Ohio law, yes. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2013, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-castro-pleads-not-guilty-cleveland-kidnapper-rapist/660827/15 "2013-07-14T21:35:31Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > Update:[He now faces an additional 977 charges](http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57593545-504083/ariel-castro-update-cleveland-kidnapping-suspect-faces-977-new-charges/) on top of the 329 filed a while back. > > The DA’s office has (so far) filed a total of 1,306 charges against this man. That has \*\*\*got \*\*\*to be a record. It’s also ridiculous. Pick a handful of the easiest to prove charges that will guarantee a life sentence…maybe roll the dice on including the death penalty charge…and leave it at that. Filing this many charges is a waste of resources. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-castro-pleads-not-guilty-cleveland-kidnapper-rapist/660827/16 "2013-07-15T02:31:45Z")
Was he standing his ground against those women? ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-castro-pleads-not-guilty-cleveland-kidnapper-rapist/660827/17 "2013-07-15T03:10:06Z")
> [@computergeek](#): > > I’m not understanding why the death penalty is even a possibility since none of the women were killed. Would causing miscarriages even count? That’s what the law says, but nobody has ever been sentenced to death for killing a fetus in the US, and it could end up in a big fight over whether a fetus qualifies as a death penalty-enabling murder victim after [Kennedy v. Louisiana](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kennedy_v._Louisiana). ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-castro-pleads-not-guilty-cleveland-kidnapper-rapist/660827/18 "2013-07-15T03:17:29Z")
> [@computergeek](#): > > I’m not understanding why the death penalty is even a possibility since none of the women were killed. Would causing miscarriages even count? I believe kidnapping is a capital offense under some circumstances and in some states, although a quick Google indicates this is not the case in Ohio. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-castro-pleads-not-guilty-cleveland-kidnapper-rapist/660827/19 "2013-07-15T03:40:04Z")
Then throw him in General Population with a “kick me” sign and see how long he lasts. ---
**Author:** ![smee\_goan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f07891/32.png) [@smee\_goan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smee_goan)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-castro-pleads-not-guilty-cleveland-kidnapper-rapist/660827/20 "2013-07-15T07:48:13Z")
A guy I work call him Fred with was his Teamster union representative at a hearing where he “…went home for 4 hours…”, leaving a school bus parked on the street. Castro changed his story to “…I shit myself…” to explain the incident. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-castro-pleads-not-guilty-cleveland-kidnapper-rapist/660827.md?page=2)