Marvin,
Smith has nothing to deal, no leverage, nothing. Prosecution attorneys do not do deals for "no contest", they do deals for guilty pleas.
All Smith is doing is showing the court he is cooperating to save the State money and time fighting a case he knows he will lose based on the recommendation of his own representation, who also would rather have their client plea no contest rather than "Guilty". Especially in a case they know they can't win.
The DUI? Smith will get nothing, but 3 felony possession charges? Dude is going to get something. Each possession charge is worth up to 16 months, totaling 4 years. You really think a guy that plea's no contest to that is going to get NO jail time?
I could see most of it being suspended, but even that is unrealistic. That is like saying "sure people, it's OK to commit felony crimes as long as you don't make us go to trial."
I am pretty sure it was you that argued earlier in this thread that the gun charges would be hard to prove, so Smith wouldn't see time behind bars. Well so much for that defense Jay. After all, you said it was a couple writers that said it would be hard to prove.
So now Aldon is in full agreement with the facts of the charges and he STILL won't see any jail time. Remember, there is no deal here. Just a plea of no-contest. No agreement was made with the prosecution.
I think the law sucks and that no man that hasn't lost his gun rights should go to jail for owning any type of gun sold legally, but CA has an erection for gun laws.