RACHEL IS JOINING US NOW THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US THIS MORNING WE APPRECIATE IT. IT IS INTERESTING HAVING WATCHES OTHER TRIAL IN DELAWARE THERE WERE SO MANY COMMENTS AFTERWARD HOW THE WOMEN IN HIS LIFE HAD TO STAND UP AND GO TO THE STAND AND HOW THIS EMOTIONAL TESTIMONY. THIS WOULD HAVE BROUGHT ABOUT EVEN MORE POTENTIALLY EMBARRASSING OR HUMILIATING PIECES OF INFORMATION WAS THIS A SURPRISE HE CHANGED HIS PLEA? >> THE WAY HE CHANGE THE PLEA IT IS INCREDIBLY UNUSUAL TO GET TO THE DAY OF TRIAL, COME TO THE COURT AND WHAT EVERYBODY THINKS WILL BE JURY SELECTION AND BEGINNING THE TRIAL AND INSTEAD SAY NEVERMIND I AM JUST GOING TO PLEAD GUILTY AND WOULD LIKE TO SKIP THE ENTIRE TRIAL. THERE ARE NO NEGOTIATIONS. I HAVE NO DEAL. I WILL JUST PLEA. HE DID THIS IN AND UNUSUAL WAY TO START BUT THE END OF THE DAY ENDED WITH THIS HOPE IN PLEA MEANING THERE IS NO SPECIAL TREATMENT THERE IS NO DEDUCTION OF POSSIBLE SENTENCING THE YES I AM GUILTY LET'S SKIP THE DETAILS ABOUT TO COME OUT. >> IT WAS A TWIST. WHAT IS AN ALFORD PLEA AND HOW COMMON IS IT? >> HE STARTED THE DAY WITH THE ALFORD PLEA WHICH IS INCREDIBLY RARE AND UNLIKELY TO BE APPROVED IN MOST CIRCUMSTANCES. AND IT IS SAYING I BELIEVE THE GOVERNMENT HAS ALL OF THE EVIDENCE THEY NEED TO CONVICT ME SO I WILL JUST GO AHEAD AND SAY I HAVE BEEN CONVICTED I WILL ACCEPT THE CONVICTION OF THE CHARGES BUT I WILL MAINTAIN I AM INNOCENT SO YES THEY HAVE THE EVIDENCE BUT I WOULD LIKE TO STILL SAY PUBLICLY I AM INNOCENT AND THIS IS REALLY NOT WHAT PLEA DEALS ARE BASED ON HER WITH THE JUSTICE SYSTEM GENERALLY LOOKS LIKE WITH SOMEONE PUTS IN A PLEA. THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ADMITTING GUILT AND SHOWING REMORSE SAYING THEY COMMITTED THE ELEMENT OF THE CRIME SO THAT IS NOT WORTH. >> HE HAS DEALT WITH ADDICTION ISSUES IT WAS ONE LAST ATTEMPT TO SAY MAYBE I DID IT BUT I AM INNOCENT BECAUSE OF THOSE ISSUES? WAS THAT PART OF IT? BUT NOW FACING LARGE FINES AND 17 YEARS IN PRISON HOW LIKELY IS THAT HE WILL BE SENT TO PRISON IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE? >> IT IS VERY POSSIBLE HE WILL GET A PRISON SENTENCE FROM THE JUDGE. HE IS A SECOND TIME OFFENDER NOW AND ALREADY HAS THE FELONY CONVICTION AND THEN GUN SURGEONS SO THAT RAISES HIS SENTENCING GUIDELINES AS IT RELATES GOING TO PRISON. I WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED IF THE JUDGE SENTENCES HIM. WHETHER HE GOES OR NOT OR SOMETHING HAPPENS AS IT RELATES TO A CONVERSATION OR A PARDON OF THE SENTENCE WE WON'T KNOW BECAUSE THAT WILL@HAE ELECTION. BUT BEFORE PRESIDENT BIDEN IS OUT OF OFFICE. >> ATTORNEYS HAVE SAID HE WAS TARGETED IT WAS POLITICALLY MOTIVATED. IS THERE SOMETHING TO THAT WOULD HE HAVE BEEN PROSECUTED IN THE SAME WAY IF HIS NAME WAS NOT HUNTER BIDEN? >> I THINK THOSE ARE PRETTY FAIR STATEMENTS BY HIS DEFENSE TEAM GIVEN THAT HE DID PAY $2 MILLION FOR THE PENALTIES AND BACK TAXES. AND WHILE HE MAY HAVE BEEN PROSECUTED IN SOME WAY, NINE CHARGES OF THREE FELONY CHARGES WITH NEW CHANCE OF LESSENING THOSE THROUGH A PLEA DEAL SEEMS PRETTY HARSH IN ALL