A plea bargaining agreement between US Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton and the family of slain Filipino transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude" may be discussed at the continuation of the pretrial for the murder case on Tuesday morning.
According to a report on GMA News TV's News To Go, a convoy where Pemberton was believed to be in arrived at the Olongapo City Regional Trial Court past 7 a.m., and immediately headed to Branch 74, where the case is being heard.
Laude's family was also in attendance, including the victim's mother, Julita, the report said.
The report, however, said that Pemberton's side has not made a formal offer for a plea bargain, while the family earlier said it will not settle with the US serviceman.
A plea bargain "usually involves the defendant's pleading guilty to a lesser offense or to only one or some of the counts of a multi-count indictment in return for a lighter sentence than that for a graver charge."
The Olongapo City RTC Branch 74 entered a not guilty plea for Pemberton last February 23, after the serviceman refused to enter any plea during the arraignment.
At the beginning of the pretrial last February 27, the defense disclosed that it included Pemberton among the 10 witnesses it plans to present during the trial proper, which will start on March 23.
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