It Happened In City Court

This morning in Judge Connor's City Court, 2 people with traffic tickets waited 40 minutes before approaching the bench. Connor explained to them that "The DA doesn't handle plea deals in court anymore... see if you can get a plea deal on the DA's website."  Each of the defendants was handed a piece of paper with instructions to apply for a plea deal (reduced charge) from the Columbia County DA's office, given an adjourned court date of May 17th, and exited the court with instructions in hand.  One of those defendants had a traffic ticket for cell phone use while driving, a 5-point ticket. 

A week earlier in Connor's court, there were also two defendants with traffic tickets, both of them being cell phone use while driving.  One of those defendants had 4 cel phone tickets, looking at possibly 20 points on his license.  The judge explained to him: "Here's the problem, we have a new system for plea deals.  The DA no longer offers pleas in court.  You will have to.." and so on, just like to everyone else.  But, Carl Whitbeck, the County Assistant DA in City Court, decided that he would offer a reduced charge right then and there, possibly because there were so few defendants in court that day.  I think I heard the judge say, "Let's see if we can get this done today."  The offer was made and accepted by the first defendant -- from four 5-point tickets down to one 5-point ticket!  He was given 30 days to pay the $200 fine and left the court.

The other defendant, with just one cell phone while driving ticket, also got a plea deal from the Assistant DA, reducing the charge from a 5-point ticket to a 2-point ticket.  Right there in court.  It took no more than a minute for each of these defendants to have their tickets reduced and be sent on their way, no instruction sheets in hand.

How is this possible?