cop a plea

cop a plea
cop a plea
Fig. to plead guilty to a lesser charge to avoid a more serious charge or lessen time of imprisonment. •

He copped a plea and got off with only two months in the slammer.

* * *
{v. phr.}, {slang}, {colloquial} To plead guilty during a trial in the hope of getting a lighter sentence as a result. * /The murderer of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., copped a plea of guilty, and got away with a life sentence instead of the death penalty./

Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • cop a plea — Slang for a plea bargain in which an accused defendant in a criminal case agrees to plead guilty or no contest to a crime. In return, the prosecutor promises to recommend a lenient sentence, or may agree to drop some of the charges. Often the… …   Law dictionary

  • cop a plea — {v. phr.}, {slang}, {colloquial} To plead guilty during a trial in the hope of getting a lighter sentence as a result. * /The murderer of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., copped a plea of guilty, and got away with a life sentence instead of the death …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • cop a plea — phrasal slang : to plead guilty to a lesser charge in order to avoid standing trial for a more serious one compare bargain plea * * * cop a plea (criminal sl) To plead guilty to a lesser charge in order to speed the judicial process and/or avoid… …   Useful english dictionary

  • cop a plea — verb To plead guilty to a lesser criminal charge than one had been charged with. Syn: plea bargain See Also: cop out, plea bargain, plea bargaining …   Wiktionary

  • cop a plea — tv. to plead guilty to a lesser charge. □ Rocko copped a plea and got off with a week in the slammer. □ I wanted to cop a plea, but didn’t have the chance …   Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions

  • cop a plea — plead guilty to a crime in order to get a lesser penalty He was forced to cop a plea when the evidence against him became too strong to dispute …   Idioms and examples

  • cop a plea — American, informal to admit that you are guilty of a crime in order to try to get a less severe punishment. The police hoped the men would cop a plea and testify against the ringleaders in return for reduced sentences …   New idioms dictionary

  • cop a plea — N. Amer. engage in plea bargaining. → cop …   English new terms dictionary

  • cop a plea — vb American to plead guilty to a lesser offence than the one which is charged to speed up the judicial process (for the prosecu tors) and avoid a heavier sentence (for the defendant). A strategy which forms the basis of plea bargaining, a… …   Contemporary slang

  • cop\ a\ plea — v. phr. slang colloquial To plead guilty during a trial in the hope of getting a lighter sentence as a result. The murderer of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., copped a plea of guilty, and got away with a life sentence instead of the death penalty …   Словарь американских идиом

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