Readers of this blog's early years will recall the murder case against former professional body builders Craig Titus and Kelly Ryan. Titus wound up accepting a plea deal with Judge Jackie Glass, who these days is famous from the O.J. Simpson case. Her sentence of Titus and the appeal of that sentence being argued in front of her today both provide a hint as to how she treats celebrity defendants when sentencing. Glass will do the sentencing honors with Simpson in December.

Some history on this case: Titus accepted his plea deal shortly before the trial began, and he was sentenced in August to 21 to 55 years for second-degree murder by Judge Glass. Today Titus goes before Judge Glass again claiming she promised to sentence him to only 17 years to 55 years for the killing. The judge has previously said she does not remember that agreement. And, according to the Review-Journal:

"Judges can give whatever sentence they deem appropriate and are not bound by plea agreements."

The context is interesting as Glass, Titus claims, offered those 17 years at a point when the defense wanted 15 years for him and the prosecution 17 years, and so even then she was leaning toward a larger number when given a choice. By sentencing an even larger number became her final decision. After reviewing things further, she exercised her right to go beyond what the prosecution asked for in sentencing. 

I suspect that this does not bode well for Simpson at his sentencing in December. Today's hearing involves Judge Glass being asked to overrule herself and knock four years off the Titus sentence; he claims he would not have taken the plea had he not believed the offer of 17 years was solid. That ruling seems unlikely. Otherwise, Titus wants the deal tossed and his day in court. No matter the outcome, it will be interesting for Simpson watchers to see how Glass rules.