Actually it does. If you did not put it there but were instead set up good lawyer might be able to get you off the hook assuming you can afford good lawyer.

The so called "equal" justice truly sucks. I once saw government trying to deny legal aid to person X on a basis that the offence is minor and the risk to be imprisoned is low, never mind the fact that having criminal record can completely screw person's life later on.

It all depends on the prosecutor.

I served on a jury where a driver was being prosecuted for possession with intent to distribute for reasons nobody understood. The passenger, who wasn’t known to the driver, in the back seat confessed at the scene and plead guilty months earlier. It was obvious that something hinky was up.

In this case, the jurors were all disgusted and found the guy not guilty. One of the jurors was a retired US Attorney who was upset enough that he submitted a complaint to the bar association.

Justice was served, but going through a trial is a life altering experience.

I wish the prosecutor was criminally charged with malicious prosecution and big compensation awarded to the driver so that the next time some scumbag trying to use justice system like this will think twice.