State of Iowa v. Andrew James Lopez

WATERMAN, Justice.

Most criminal cases are resolved through guilty pleas resulting from plea bargains negotiated by defense counsel and the prosecution. 1 Our precedent makes clear that prosecutors are required to scrupulously honor the letter and spirit of plea agreements to maintain the integrity of the plea-bargaining process. We must determine whether the prosecutor in this case, who recited the plea agreement verbatim to recommend a deferred judgment and probation without mentioning tougher sentences, nevertheless breached that agreement by her actions at the sentencing hearing.…