Courtroom 302

A very significant case in Cook County Courts was the Bridgeport case, known as a “heater” case because of the publicity that surround it, and the racial overtones (Bogira 181). The Bridgeport case involved three white teenagers, Michael Kwidzinski, Jasas, and Caruso that were accused of brutally beating two young black boys who were riding their bikes in the predominantly white neighborhood. The entire summary of the case, in Courtroom 302, was based around the fact that one of the boys, Michael Kwidzinski, was most likely innocent. The question then turns to the boy himself, Michael Kwidzinski; if he was innocent, why did hid then accept a guilty plea bargain?
Kwidzinski was dealing with the case for a year and a half before even getting to trial. After awhile, the worry and stress start to wear you down. During the year and a half waiting trial, Kwidzinski had watched the toll that stress took on his family, the money it cost for attorneys, and was made out to be “vilified in the papers and on the radio talk shows” (Bogira 334). Just like in the case of Troy Cameron, where he too was worn down through the typical grueling court procedures. Troy was actually sitting in jail for five months while awaiting his trial because, unlike Kwidzinski, Troy did not have money to even post enough for bail. Troy was “tired” and even though Troy wanted to go to trial, he felt like his public defender and prosecutor wanted him to take a guilty plea (Bogira 44). Troy realized, as did Kwidzinski, guilty or not their fate would be left in the hands of chance if they went to trial. They decided the best case scenario would be to accept the plea and be guaranteed a less significant or better verdict.
Another reason why Kwidzinski took a guilty plea is because his lawyer gave him his two options to choose from. One option would be to accept the plea deal and agree to the charges of the misdemeanor conviction and no jail time. The second option would be to go to trial on a felony