MEMPHIS, Tenn. — An Alford Plea may be best for a person accused of a crime, but the victim seeking justice may see it another way.
Jemar Lambert’s Alford Plea ended the criminal charges against him for stacking grave sites at Galilee Cemetery. Under the agreement, he didn’t plead guilty, but acknowledged that there was enough evidence to prove the charges.
Lambert stayed out of prison with ten years probation.
At Lambert’s home Monday, his relatives said he was home but not ready to tell his side of the story.
Attorney James Schaeffer isn’t involved with the Lambert case, but says a lot is taken into consideration for an Alford plea.
“The attorneys have the opportunity to look at all the evidence, conduct his own investigation, do his own research, size up his own client,” Schaeffer said.
It also doesn’t necessarily mean no jail time.
“It doesn’t always mean that he will automatically get probation. It just means that he is doing this generally to avoid worse consequences if he went to trial and actually lost,” Schaeffer said.
On the other side are the victims.
Dr. Katherine Lawson is executive director of Victims to Victory and she says legal maneuvers like an Alford Plea can leave families victimized twice.
“The defendant is basically saying I don’t have to take ownership for what I have done,” Lawson said.
So Victims to Victory prepares families for what can happen in court, because an Alford Plea, as unfair as it can be for victims, is a constitutional right to defendants in certain cases.
“Our justice system can unfortunately sometimes be imbalanced in favor of the defendants and sometimes very minimizing of the victims,” Lawson said.
Many victims are still going after Lambert in civil court.