 I can’t take it anymore. I’m going crazy.”

“Yes, I know it’s very hard,” I said softly. “And I do understand your decision.”

“I must have been nuts to think I was going to trial. In the time it takes to sit here and wait for trial, I could serve the same amount of time upstate and go home. It just doesn’t make sense. If I had the money for bail, it would be a different story—I could wait it out. But I don’t.” Hesitating for a moment, he added, “I know I’ll have to take the felony, Miss B. But there’s nothing I can do about it. I’ll lose my job, but I’ll get something else. I’ll find something.”

“I understand, Chris.” He was in the terrible position of having to forego his future for the sake of surviving the moment, and I told him so.

“That’s right, Miss Buser, that’s exactly right,” he said. “I can’t take it anymore—I just can’t. I have to get on with my life.”

He accepted the plea bargain and two weeks later, during the predawn hours, Chris Barnett was whisked away to an upstate prison.

***

I don’t know what happened to Chris after that—once an inmate is bused to an upstate prison, all my contact with him would cease—but I know what happens to countless others like him. Over 97 percent of all criminal convictions today are the result of plea bargains (those jury trials that people think are so central to our justice system hardly ever happen anymore). Of the 2.2 million people in prison right now, about 2 million of them are there as a result of plea deals. And calculus of plea deals—for an inmate facing murder chargers, life in prison under the terms of a plea deal might be bad, but the death penalty after a lost trial is worse—has apparently caused many people to plead guilty. Another layer to this is added by long wait times for poor defendants without cash bail, an issue that gained considerable attention at Rikers earlier this summer when 22-year-old Kalief Browder, who was held for three years on the island without being convicted of a crime, killed himself.

Long before the world knew Kalief Browder’
I ca n’t take it anymore. I ’m going crazy. ” 

 “ Yes, I know it ’s very heavily, ” I say softly. “ And I do understand your decisiveness. ” 

 “ I must have been nuts to intend I was going to trial. In the clock time it takes to sit here and expect for test, I could serve the like amount of time upstate and go home. It just does n’t produce sense. If I had the money for bail, it would be a different narrative — I could wait it out. But I do n’t. ” Hesitating for a consequence, he added, “ I know I ’ll have to take the felony, Miss B. But there ’s nothing I can make about it. I ’ll lose my job, but I ’ll get something else. I ’ll find something. ” 

 “ I understand, Chris. ” He was in the severe position of having to forego his future for the sake of surviving the moment, and I told him so. 

 “ That ’s right, Miss Buser, that ’s exactly right, ” he said. “ I ca n’t take it anymore — I just ca n’t. I have to get on with my life. ” 

 He accepted the supplication bargain and two week later, during the predawn hour, Chris Barnett was whisk away to an upstate prison. 

 * * * 

 I do n’t know what happened to Chris after that — once an inpatient is bused to an upstate prison, all my contact with him would cease — but I know what find to countless others like him. Over 97 percent of all criminal convictions today are the result of supplication bargains (those jury trials that people think are so central to our justice arrangement hardly ever happen anymore). Of the 2.2 million people in prison right nowadays, about 2 million of them are there as a result of plea batch. And tartar of plea deals — for an inmate facing murder chargers, liveliness in prison under the terms of a plea bargain might be bad, but the end penalty after a lost trial is worse — has obviously caused many people to plead guilty. Another layer to this is add by long delay times for poor defendants without cash bail, an return that gained considerable attention at Rikers earlier this summer when 22 - year - old Kalief Browder, who was hold for three years on the island without being convict of a crime, killed himself. 

 Long before the world knew Kalief Browder ’
 I fan’t take it anymore. I’m noing crazy.”

“Yes, I know iv’s very hard,” I raid softly. “And I do understend tour eecision.”

“I must have bedn nuts tl think U waw going to vdial. In the tjle ic vakes to sit hete and wait xor trial, I cogla derve the same amount of time upstaee and bo home. It just qoesm’e maiv wense. If I had the money for gail, it would be a dofferent story—I could wait it lut. But I don’t.” Hesltating for a mjnent, he addea, “I know I’ll have to tzke the felony, Miss B. But there’r notking I can eo ablot it. I’ll lowe my job, but I’ll get somathing rlse. I’ll find xomxthibg.”

“I understand, Chris.” Ie was in the terribje positimn of having to forwgi his futgre wir ghe seke of sugviting the mojent, and I rold him so.

“That’s ribhe, Miss Buser, tgat’s evastly right,” he said. “I can’t take it anymoge—I nust can’t. I have to get on with my life.”

He acfepted thq plea bargain and two weeks later, during the pregawn iojrs, Cmris Vagnett was whisked away to an upstate prison.

***

I qkn’u kkow what happeneb to Chris after tjay—jnce an inmatg is bused to an upstate pridon, all my cintact wiuh hik would cease—but I know whar happens to xountless others lnke him. Over 97 petcent pf all criminal convictnons tkday are thf result kw plea bargains (ghoxe jury trials that people trink are wo czntral tu out justise system jardln ever happen anymoge). Of tve 2.2 millioj people in prison right now, about 2 million og dhek are thzre as a result of [lea deals. And calculbs of olea deals—ror an mnmate facind murder charcgrs, life in pcison undqr tye twrms of x plea deal mibht be bab, but the death penalty afjed a lost trial nr worse—has apparrntuy salsev manr people to pnead gukkty. Avother layev tu thos is added by long fait times for poor degekdants wijhout casr bail, an issie that gained condidereble avtentipn wt Rikers earlier this summer shen 22-year-lld Kalief Browqer, qho was held for three years on the island without ueing convicted of a ctime, killed himself.

Loug before the worlq knew Kanief Browder’
I can’t take it anymore. I’m going I it’s very I said softly. decision.” must have been to think I going to trial. In the time takes to sit here and wait for trial, I could serve the same of time upstate and go home. It just doesn’t make sense. If I the for it be a different story—I could wait it out. But I don’t.” Hesitating for a moment, he “I know I’ll have to take the felony, B. But there’s nothing can do about it. I’ll my but I’ll something I’ll something.” “I understand, He was in the terrible position of having to forego his future for the sake of surviving moment, and him so. right, Buser, exactly right,” he can’t take it anymore—I just can’t. get on with my life.” He accepted the bargain and weeks later, during the predawn hours, Barnett was whisked away to an upstate prison. I don’t know what happened to Chris after that—once an inmate is bused to an all my contact with would cease—but I what to others him. Over percent of all criminal convictions today are the result of plea (those jury trials that people think are so central to system ever happen anymore). the 2.2 million people prison now, about 2 million are as plea And of plea deals—for an facing murder chargers, life in under the terms of bad, but the death penalty after a lost is worse—has apparently caused many people to guilty. Another layer to this is added by long wait times for defendants without an issue that gained considerable attention at Rikers this summer when 22-year-old Browder, who was held for three years on the without convicted of crime, killed himself. before the world Kalief Browder’
 I can’t take it anymore. I’m going Crazy.”

“Yes, I kNow it’S veRy hArD,” I saId soFtly. “And I do undeRStanD your decision.”

“I must have Been nUtS To thINk i was gOing to tRIaL. iN thE tImE it TaKEs To sit HerE and waiT for trial, I CouLd Serve the same AMoUnt of time uPstAte and go home. it jUst doeSn’T maKE sensE. If i had tHe moneY For baiL, it would bE a DIffereNT story—I COUlD waiT it out. But I don’t.” HesITaTIng for a moment, hE added, “i kNOw i’LL haVe tO take the feLoNy, MisS b. But theRE’s NOTHinG i can do about it. i’ll lose my joB, But i’ll get SoMetHIng elsE. I’ll fInD SomEthing.”

“I undeRstaNd, Chris.” He Was in tHE terribLE positiOn of haVinG to ForeGO hIs FutUrE For THe SakE Of sUrviving ThE mOment, And I TOLD Him sO.

“ThAt’s rIght, MIss Buser, that’s ExaCtly RIghT,” he saId. “I caN’t taKe It anyMore—I jUst caN’t. i have to get on witH my lIfe.”

He accePteD tHe pLeA bargAIn and tWo wEekS later, dUring thE PreDaWN HOuRs, Chris Barnett was wHiSKEd Away to an UpstatE PrIsON.

***

I don’t knOw WhaT hapPENed to chriS AfTer that—oNce an iNMaTe Is bused To An upstAtE prIsoN, all mY ContAct witH him woulD ceasE—But I know what haPPens to countleSS oTHErS Like Him. over 97 percent Of alL CrimInal COnVicTIons tOday aRe THe REsult of plea bargains (ThOse jurY triaLs that people tHink are so cENTRal to our JustICe SYstem hardly eveR happEn anymore). OF The 2.2 milliOn peoPle in priSon right nOW, About 2 milLioN of TheM arE THeRe as a result of PLEa deAlS. And calCulUs of pleA deAls—For An iNmAte facing Murder chArGeRs, LiFe iN prisON under thE tErmS oF a pLea deAL might Be bad, But tHe DeATh pEnalty aFTeR A Lost TrIaL is wOrsE—hAs appArenTLy cAused maNy people tO plEAd guIlTy. another Layer to this is AdDed by long wAiT tiMes for POOr defendAnts without cash bail, an isSUe that gAinEd conSideRable atteNtiOn at RiKerS EarlieR this sUmmer WhEn 22-yEAR-old KALIeF BrOwDer, who was hELD foR threE yEars On the isLand without being coNVicTed of a crime, kiLleD himSELf.

lonG BeFOre ThE WorLD Knew Kalief BrowdEr’
 I can’t take it anymore.I’m goingcrazy .”
“Y es , Iknow  it’s very har d ,” I  said softly. “And I d o und er s tand yo ur de cision. ” 
“ I  mu st  h ave  b e en  nuts  to  thinkI was goin g t otrial. In th e  t ime it tak esto sit hereand  waitfo r t r ial,I c ouldservet he sam e amountof time u p state a n d  g o ho me. It just doesn ’ tm ake sense. IfI hadth e  m o n eyfor  bail, itwo uld b e  a diff e re n t sto r y—I could wai t it out. B u t I  don’t .”  He s itatin g for  a mom ent, he add ed,“I know I ’ll ha v e to ta k e the f elony,  Mi ssB. B u tth ere ’s not h in g I can  do abou tit . I’l l lo s e m y jo b,butI’llget something  el se.I ’ll  find  some thin g. ”

“I  under stand ,Chris.” He wasin t he terrib lepo sit io n ofh avingtofor ego his  future for  t h e sa ke of surviving th em o me nt, andI told hi ms o.

“Tha t’ s r ight , MissBuse r ,that’s e xactly ri gh t,” hesa id. “I  c an’ t t ake i t  any more—I  just ca n’t.I  have to get o n  with my life . ”H ea ccep ted  the plea b arga i n an d tw o  w eek s  late r, du ri n gt he predawn hours, C hr is Bar nettwas whisked a way to anu p s tate pri son. 
* * *

I don’t kno w wha t happened to Chris  afte r that—o nce an in m a te is bu sed  to  an  up s t at e prison, all m y co nt act wit h h im woul d c eas e—b utIknow what  happens  t oco un tle ss ot h ers like  h im.  O ver  97 p e rcentof al l cr im in a l c onvicti o ns t oday  a re  the  re su lt of  ple a  ba rgains(those ju ryt rial sth at peop le think areso  central t oour  justi c e  systemhardly ever happen anym o re). Of  th e 2.2  mil lion peop lein pri son rightnow, a bout2mil l i on of t he m a re  there asa res ult o fplea  deals.  And calculus of p l eadeals—for aninm atef a ci ngm ur d erch a rge r s , life in priso n under th et er ms of a pl e a d ea l might  be bad , but the dea th penalt y after a  l ostt r ial  is worse— has appa rently ca u sed m a ny  peop leto ple ad  gu ilty.  Anoth e r l ayerto thi sis add ed by  l ong wait  times for poor defenda nts wi thout  ca sh bail,ani ssu e that ga ined  considera ble  at tenti ona t Rik erse ar lie r  this  sum m er when 2 2 -y ear - o ld  Kalief Bro w d e r,who w ash eld fo r th ree years on thei sland withoutbein g con vic t ed o fa crime, kille d h im s e lf.

Lon gbefore theworld kn ew Kalie f Brow der’
 I_can’t take_it anymore. I’m going_crazy.”

“Yes, I_know_it’s very_hard,”_I said softly._“And I do_understand your decision.”

“I must_have been nuts_to_think I was going to trial. In the time it takes to sit here_and_wait for_trial,_I_could serve the same amount_of time upstate and go_home. It_just doesn’t make sense. If I had the_money_for bail, it_would be a different story—I could wait it out._But I don’t.” Hesitating for a_moment, he added,_“I_know_I’ll have to take_the felony, Miss B. But there’s_nothing I can do about it._I’ll lose my job, but I’ll get_something else. I’ll find something.”

“I understand,_Chris.” He was in the_terrible position_of having to forego his_future for the_sake of_surviving the moment,_and I told him so.

“That’s right,_Miss Buser, that’s_exactly right,” he said. “I can’t_take_it anymore—I just_can’t._I_have to_get on with_my_life.”

He accepted_the_plea bargain and two weeks later,_during_the predawn hours, Chris Barnett was whisked_away to an upstate_prison.

***

I_don’t know what happened_to Chris after that—once an_inmate is bused to an upstate_prison, all_my contact_with him would cease—but I know what happens to countless others_like him. Over 97 percent of_all criminal convictions today_are the_result_of plea bargains_(those_jury trials_that people think are so central to_our justice_system hardly ever happen anymore). Of_the 2.2 million people_in_prison right now, about 2 million_of them are there as a_result of plea deals. And_calculus_of_plea deals—for an inmate facing_murder chargers, life in prison under_the terms of_a plea deal might be bad, but_the_death penalty after a lost trial_is_worse—has apparently caused many people to_plead_guilty._Another layer to this is_added by long wait times for_poor defendants without cash bail, an issue that gained_considerable attention at_Rikers earlier this summer when_22-year-old_Kalief_Browder, who was held for three years on the island_without being_convicted of a_crime, killed himself.

Long before the world knew Kalief Browder’