Recent Usage - Sandpoint, Idaho

Defendant: Christopher Robin Garlin

Last September, Garlin was arrested as an accessory to murder. The case stated that Garlin's 19-year-old roommate, Austin Blake Thrasher, shot and killed Michael Wyatt Smith who was seeing a 16-year-old girl that Thrasher was also seeing.

Garlin is being charged as an accessory to murder for withholding knowledge of the murder from law enforcement for four months before finally confessing what he knew in January 2012 while in jail due to theft and burglary charges.

On Monday, November 5th, 2012, Garlin was able to enter the Alford Plea in the 1st District Court of Sandpoint, Idaho. His case is set to wrap up on January 13th when he will be informed of his sentence.

Should Garlin be able to enter the Alford Plea in this case? It seems odd that the judge would accept such a plea when it technically means that Garlin admits there is enough evidence to convict him of withholding information but he still wishes to maintain his innocence. How can an individual maintain their innocence of withholding information while simultaneously admitting guilt for doing the same thing?

Thoughts welcome!



Information From:
Bonner County Daily Bee
San Francisco Chronicle