How could anyone possibly agree to a deal for the former Cleveland school bus driver who allegedly kidnapped three young women and held them captive for more than a decade? Well a murder trial requires evidence, and in this case, 10 years of it, as well as witnesses. The primary witnesses would be the three alleged victims, and they may not want to relive the unimaginable experience in a highly publicized trial.
Michelle Knight, 32, Amanda Berry, 27, and Gina de Jesus, 23, were found alive in Castro’s home in a rundown area of Cleveland on May 6, after the girls had been missing for about 10 years. A 6-year-old girl Castro fathered with Berry was also freed from the home that day.
A source close to the case tells CNN / HLN that "negotiations are close" for a deal. Attorneys have said they would like to reach a plea agreement to avoid going to trial. Nothing has been finalized, but the deal would likely take the death penalty off the table and land Castro in prison for life.
Castro is charged with hundreds of counts of kidnapping, rape and even murder -- for allegedly causing a miscarriage, after beating and starving one of the women and forcing her to miscarry. The charge of aggravated murder could carry the death penalty in Ohio. He has pleaded not guilty to 977 charges, including 512 counts of kidnapping and 446 counts of rape.
The discovery of what had been going on inside Castro’s home for a decade not only shocked neighbors and captured the nation’s attention, but it also gave these three young women a new chance at life. So is a trade-off for this man worth it, in order to protect the woman? Legal experts say a plea deal would avoid putting these young women on the stand to testify about what happened to them over the course of a decade. On top of that, the women could avoid cross-examination by defense attorneys, who would question the validity of the women’s experiences.
Castro could plead guilty to some of the charges in order to avoid a public trial, which is scheduled to begin August 5. The deal could be accepted as early as Friday.
Michelle Knight, 32, Amanda Berry, 27, and Gina de Jesus, 23, were found alive in Castro’s home in a rundown area of Cleveland on May 6, after the girls had been missing for about 10 years. A 6-year-old girl Castro fathered with Berry was also freed from the home that day.
A source close to the case tells CNN / HLN that "negotiations are close" for a deal. Attorneys have said they would like to reach a plea agreement to avoid going to trial. Nothing has been finalized, but the deal would likely take the death penalty off the table and land Castro in prison for life.
Castro is charged with hundreds of counts of kidnapping, rape and even murder -- for allegedly causing a miscarriage, after beating and starving one of the women and forcing her to miscarry. The charge of aggravated murder could carry the death penalty in Ohio. He has pleaded not guilty to 977 charges, including 512 counts of kidnapping and 446 counts of rape.
The discovery of what had been going on inside Castro’s home for a decade not only shocked neighbors and captured the nation’s attention, but it also gave these three young women a new chance at life. So is a trade-off for this man worth it, in order to protect the woman? Legal experts say a plea deal would avoid putting these young women on the stand to testify about what happened to them over the course of a decade. On top of that, the women could avoid cross-examination by defense attorneys, who would question the validity of the women’s experiences.
Castro could plead guilty to some of the charges in order to avoid a public trial, which is scheduled to begin August 5. The deal could be accepted as early as Friday.