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Iowan makes plea deal after prosecutors’ mistake

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December 13th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

ADEL, Iowa (AP) — A delay in charges being filed against an Iowa man has let him escape the possibility of more than 10 years in prison.Des Moines television station KCCI says James Eagle had led police on a high-speed chase through Dallas County on Sept. 11. He’d faced more than 30 traffic charges and two felony counts of assaulting an officer.But Eagle’s attorney, Bill Kutmus, told the station that the county attorney’s office didn’t file the charges in court within 45 days.So Kutmus began bargaining with the prosecutors and managed to get most of the charges dropped. Eagle pleaded guilty to eluding and got 180 days in jail, 90 days suspended.The Dallas County attorney has declined to comment.