法院变更认罪认罚从宽案件指控罪名若干问题

Several Issues on Changing Accusations in Guilty Plea Leniency Cases

在认罪认罚从宽制度语境下,如果检察机关与被告人已就犯罪事实、指控罪名等方面达成一致,被告人签署了认罪认罚具结书,检察机关予以确认,那么庭审阶段的法院不可自行选择变更指控罪名,否则与认罪认罚从宽制度设计的初衷相背离,会带来后续庭审的程序适用、被告人诉讼权利保障等程序问题。基于以控辩双方的平等协商来寻求司法效率和公正的平衡的考量,可行的做法是:从变更指控罪名的具体类型为出发点,完善法院变更认罪认罚从宽案件指控罪名的程序设定;以被告人权益为落脚点,提出支持律师在法院变更罪名情况下进行无罪辩护或罪轻辩护的思路,以保障刑事诉讼程序控辩对抗之基本格局;允许值班律师辩护人化,扩大法律援助范围至认罪认罚从宽案件,以解决认罪认罚从宽制度配套速裁程序和简易程序对被告人权益保障所带来的冲击问题。

In the context of guilty plea leniency system,if the procuratorate and the defendant have reached an agreement on the facts of crime and accusation,and the defendant has signed a guilt admission letter confirmed by the procuratorate,the court cannot voluntarily change the accusation at the trial stage,otherwise it will deviate from the original intention of guilty plea leniency system,which will bring about procedural issues such as the application of subsequent court trials and protection of defendants’litigation rights.Some feasible suggestions are put forward based on the consideration of seeking a balance between judicial efficiency and justice.Firstly,improving procedure setting for the court to change accusations taking the specific type of charges changing as a starting point.Secondly,supporting lawyers to defend for innocence or minor guilt when the court changes their charges taking the defendant’rights and interests as the foothold so as to protect the basic pattern of the criminal procedure of prosecution and defense.Thirdly,allowing duty lawyers to personalize their defenses and expanding the scope of legal aid to guilty plea leniency cases in order to relieve the stress on the defendant’s right protection caused by supporting quick procedures and simple procedures of guilty plea leniency system.