United States v. Hallahan

This assignment aligns with the learning objective that evaluates the pros and cons of plea bargaining.

In United States v. Hallahan, 2014 WL 744 F.3d 497 (7th Cir. 2014), a defendant reached a plea agreement with the prosecution but fled before sentencing. Twelve years later she was captured and re-sentenced pursuant to the plea agreement. Although the plea agreement required the prosecution to recommend a lenient sentence, it refused to do so.

Tasks:

• Review the landmark Supreme Court case United States v. Hallahan in its entirety from the link noted below.
• Summarize the facts of the case.

*Conduct a critical analysis of the questions posed below:

Questions:

1. What happens when a defendant breaches a plea agreement before sentencing?
2. Should the defendant be held to the terms of the plea agreement?

General Guidelines for the assignment:

Since you are the future leaders of tomorrow, the questions are meant to invoke your critical thinking skills. Be sure to submit a substantive response to earn maximum points. Start with an introductory paragraph to give the reader a clear picture of the topic. Assume that the reader has no knowledge of the subject matter and that you are being tasked with explaining the concepts. Subsequent paragraphs should support your topic with researched information from your textbook, outside resources, and your independent assessment. Be sure to end with a concluding paragraph and cite your sources.