Yes. If there is a person who was harmed, that person will have an opportunity to participate in the case either as a witness during a trial, or by speaking to the prosecutor’s office prior to a plea or at a sentencing. Although the victim has an opportunity to be heard, and while the victim’s position can impact the outcome of the case, if the case resolves by way of a plea bargain, the prosecutor has the final say on any offer that is made to resolve a case. If the matter proceeds to a trial, a jury has the final say in determining disputed facts. If there is a plea bargain or a conviction, a judge has the final say in imposing the sentence.
