It’s tricky to plead not guilty to drinking and driving, when there is a YouTube video that you previously posted, admitting to killing a man whilst driving drunk.
That’s what Matthew Cordle is trying to do:
After some deft legal maneuvering by his lawyers, Matthew Cordle, the Ohio man who posted an online video in which he admitted killing a man in a drunken driving accident, was assigned a new judge this afternoon.
Cordle, 22, pleaded not guilty earlier today in a Columbus courtroom where the first judge later said his surprise plea might have been a tactic to have a new judge preside over his case.
Ohio Man Confesses ‘I Killed a Man’ in YouTube Video. Read more here.
Cordle turned himself in to police earlier this week and was indicted for one count of aggravated vehicular homicide for causing the June 22 death of Vincent Canzani, 61, and one count of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated.
Judge Julie Lynch, the first judge, set his bond at $250,000.
Cordle’s lawyers said he will remain in jail and not accept bail until he is able to change his plea to guilty before the sentencing judge, Judge David Fais, who was assigned this afternoon.
Fais is one of the longest-serving judges in Franklin County and sentencing is expected on or about Oct. 17, after Cordle pleads guilty at his bond hearing.
Cordle made headlines after his video confession to killing Canzani went viral last week. In the video, he said he’d take full responsibility and plead guilty.
[more here]
You can check out the video in question, above. In it, he states:
“My name is Matthew Cordle, and on June 22, 2013, I hit and killed Vincent Canzani,” Cordle says. “This video will act as my confession. When I get charged, I will plead guilty and take full responsibility for everything I’ve done to Vincent and his family. … I won’t dishonor Vincent’s memory by lying about what happened.”
I think it’s fair to say old Matt is in a bit of a pickle.
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