Illegal immigrant allowed to withdraw guilty plea

An illegal immigrant who was deported from New Jersey after pleading guilty to a crime has been given a second chance by the state Supreme Court.

Monday's decision will allow Jose Nunez-Valdez to withdraw his guilty plea and potentially go to trial.

Nunez-Valdez, who is from the Dominican Republic, was charged with fourth-degree criminal sexual contact in 1998. He says his lawyer told him if he pleaded guilty he would receive probation and wouldn't be deported.

He was deported in 2002 and appealed, saying he wouldn't have pleaded guilty if his lawyer had told him about the possible deportation.

Justice Roberto Rivera-Soto dissented from the majority's opinion.

July 27, 2009 01:03 PM


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