I was charged with a felony (unauthorized access of a government computer) back in 2004. I had just graduated from college and was looking for steady work. I fa

I was charged with a felony (unauthorized access of a government computer) back in 2004. I had just graduated from college and was looking for steady work. I faced some pressure from friends and family to plea bargain even though I was innocent simply because they feared I'd be found guilty at trial by a jury that couldn't understand the case. Happily, the DA wised up and dismissed the charges eventually, but it took years and caused me a lot of personal difficulty. It's a damn shame on the criminal justice system that innocent people should so fear wrongful conviction that they'd meet it halfway. I was prepared to fight, but I don't begrudge anyone who would choose differently for themselves and their loved ones.