Late Thursday morning which is the fourth day of the trial of Nicole Baukus and just before Montgomery County Forensic Center Dr. Sparks Veasey took the stand, Baukus told the judge she wanted to plead guilty.

Instead of a trial continuing today they have moved directly to the punishment phase. The jury will hear from witnesses put on by both the defense and prosecution. After closing arguments the jury will decide the fate of Baukus. She faces anywhere from probation to 20 years for each of the 2 charges on intoxication manslaughter and up to 10 years for the intoxication assault on David Porras who survived the crash.

Even though the jury sets the time in the punishment phase, the judge has the option to stack that time. As an example, if she got the maximum time, by stacking it she would have to complete the first 20 years of her sentence before she could start working toward parole eligibility which since the vehicle is being considered a deadly weapon she would have to serve half of the second twenty years to be eligible for parole(30 years).

Unlike most other days where she was able to leave the courtroom for lunch, she is now in the custody of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and will be until she is sentenced.