A Norfolk lawyer claimed Tuesday that his client, a man caught in Northampton County in July 2020 with 6,142 grams of a cocaine mixture who is serving a 16-year federal prison term for his crime of drug distribution, should be allowed to take back his guilty plea in Northampton Circuit Court to an identical charge or be the victim of double jeopardy.
But this claim made by defense lawyer Andrew Sacks isn’t exactly new. And Commonwealth’s Attorney Jack Thornton says the charges aren’t identical.
Retired Judge Revell Lewis, who presided over the trial, agreed to give Sacks 15 days to review the cases that Thornton referred to in his arguments and respond in writing. Thornton will then have 10 days to respond again. Lewis said he would either dismiss the case or set a sentencing date…