NewsWFLA (NBC 8) — Hillsborough CountyOctober 26, 2026Hillsborough County
Murder Trial Defendant Asks for Cheesesteak to Change Plea
Photo: WFLA (NBC 8) — Hillsborough County
During jury selection for his murder trial, a Tampa man accused of killing and dismembering a woman in 2021 offered to change his plea to guilty in exchange for a cheesesteak, fries, and a Pepsi. The judge immediately denied the unusual request, and the trial will proceed.
Read the full story at WFLA (NBC 8) — Hillsborough CountyWhy It Matters
Residents should know about bizarre developments in high-profile local criminal court cases involving violent crimes.
Key Facts
- Defendant Robert Kessler, acting as his own attorney, asked for a cheesesteak, fries, and a 20-ounce Pepsi in exchange for an open guilty plea.
- The judge denied the request, calling it wrong in a thousand ways.
- Kessler faces life in prison if convicted of murdering and dismembering a woman in 2021.