A defendant who claims to be innocent but doesn’t want to risk going to trial can sometimes take what has become known as an Alford plea, named after the Supreme Court’s decision in North Carolina v. Alford. (400 U.S. 25 (1970).)
In a typical case, the defendant pleads guilty or no contest in return for the prosecution’s agreement that it will recommend a certain sentence. But an open plea contains no such agreements.