Former Food Network Chef Juan Carlos Cruz pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder and solicitation of murder during his arraignment in Los Angeles Superior Court last month. Let's just hope that his Los Angeles criminal defense attorney, Shawn Chapman Holley, can come up with a good defense strategy. The celebrity chef is due back in court on June 23 for the preliminary hearing.
According to ABC News, Juan Carlos Cruz allegedly gave some homeless men ten $100 bills and cut each bill in half. He allegedly said that they could have the full bills if they killed his wife, Jennifer Campbell. The homeless men then reported the incident to authorities. Some sources believe that the chef was just trying to put his wife out her misery, since she has been long-time suicidal. However, Los Angeles criminal defense attorneys in the area say that this wouldn't be a good defense to the charges.
Ironically, Jennifer Campbell is also a lawyer. Yet obviously he would not have his wife defend him with this case. It's possible that Juan Carlos Cruz will enter a plea deal with prosecutors so that he can get one of the charges dropped or his sentence reduced. Law enforcers have predicted that the case will not go to trial and that the outcome of the case will result in a no contest plea to solicitation of murder. If convicted of just the solicitation of murder charge, he faces a 3 to 9 year prison sentence. Los Angeles criminal defense attorney Shawn Chapman Holley would probably then argue that her client should receive the minimum sentence.
Related Resources:
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What are Plea Bargains? (FindLaw)
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Sentencing For Attempted Murder (FindLaw Answers)
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