A Peru man accused of pushing an 84-year old man over a guard rail back in 2019 will not have his guilty plea withdrawn.
46-year old Michael Stuart claimed that his lawyer Tom McClintock told him that if he didn’t plead guilty to the charge, he could go jail that day.
McClintock says he did not say that. But rather he said it would have been best for Stuart to plead guilty and then try to get probation during the sentencing hearing.
Judge Cynthia Raccuglia says during his court date back in October last year, she asked Stuart if he is pleading guilty on his own free will, to which he said yes.
State’s Attorney Jeremiah Adams also says it didn’t matter if Stuart was emotional during his guilty plea, he didn’t say that he was dissatisfied with McClintock’s services. Raccuglia denied Stuart’s request to have his guilt plea withdrawn saying that his case didn’t reach the burden of proof.
Stuart will be back in court in March for sentencing.