The people who most commonly speak at a sentencing hearing are the prosecutors, the defense attorney, the victims, and the defendant. Rule 32 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure grants both the defendant and defense counsel the right to speak to the court before a sentence is imposed. First, even before a defendant appears before a judge, prosecutors may agree, as part of a plea agreement, to recommend a lower sentence or to charge a less serious crime in exchange for the defendant's cooperation.
