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Brinton: Negotiations Very Difficult With Marches
POSTED: 1:49 pm CDT August 14,
2006
UPDATED: 10:17 pm CDT August 14,
2006
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The early negotiations between prosecutors and Perry and Arthur March were like a game of chicken.When it was all over, it was both state and federal prosecutors and the 78-year-old Arthur March who blinked first.Here is what I have pieced together from interviews:Arthur March was offered a zero to 60 month sentence in a federal prison in return for full cooperation in the conspiracy to murder and second degree murder charges against his son, Perry.The actual sentence for Arthur would be up to the federal judge, since prosecutors decided not to make any recommendation.Arthur turned it down.Perry, on the other hand was offered a 20-year sentence in a state prison on all of his charges. He would have been eligible for parole in only 17 years.Perry agreed to the prosecutor's offer.At the lawyers and prosecutors request, Perry urged his father to accept his offer."I'm going to take mine whether you do or not," Perry was quoted as telling his father.But a short time later, Perry changed his mind and rejected his 20-year offer.Perry reportedly told his attorneys that he would only plead guilty if he received a 15-year sentence and his father, a one-year sentence."It's no dice, we're not going to plead," he was quoted as telling his lawyers.Prosecutors were furious, I'm told.The next day Perry's brother, Ron, and sister, Kathy Breitowich flew to Nashville to join in the discussions with their father and brother.Prosecutors did a reverse and offering Arthur an 18-month prison sentence for his guilty plea.Arthur accepted it this time, thinking he might be able to convince Perry to also plead guilty to his charges.One source says Arthur felt his son needed help and it was in Perry's best interest that he confessed to the murder of his wife, Janet, 10 years ago.With jail credit, Arthur will be released from prison next May.Arthur, I was told, does not plan to stay in Tennessee or return to Mexico upon his release.Instead, he will move to the Michigan summer home of his son, Ron.
Previous Stories:
- August 14, 2006: Metro Detective: March Suggested He Was Guilty
- August 12, 2006: March's Father Says Son Told Him Wife's Death Was Accidental
- August 11, 2006: March Deposition Showed During Friday Testimony
- August 11, 2006: March In Contact With Family From Jail Cell
- August 10, 2006: Prosecution Reveals New Claims Against March
- August 10, 2006: Perry March Converts To Christianity
- August 10, 2006: Prosecutors Seek Conviction Without Body, DNA Evidence
- August 10, 2006: Timeline Of Key Events In March Murder Case
- August 9, 2006: March Son Scheduled To Testify
- August 8, 2006: Local Attorney Blames March For Defense Strategy
- August 8, 2006: Jurors For March Trial Transported To Nashville
- August 8, 2006: March Murder Case: The Key Players
- August 7, 2006: Jury Selected In March Murder Trial
- August 7, 2006: Attorneys Offer Scientific Analysis Of Jury Selection
- August 2, 2006: New Twist In March Murder-For-Hire Scheme
- August 2, 2006: March Faces Uphill Battle In Upcoming Murder Trial
- July 24, 2006: Court: March Children Will Stay With Grandparents
- July 20, 2006: Perry March To Speak At Sentencing Hearing
- July 17, 2006: March's Refusal Of Plea Deal Questioned
- July 13, 2006: EXCLUSIVE: March Jury Will Come From Chattanooga
- July 7, 2006: March Defense Team Works To Throw Out Evidence
- June 29, 2006: Perry March Receives Few Visitors In Jail
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