What is the state's obligation to keep its word when it offers a defendant a plea of guilty?

As representatives of the government, it is particularly important for prosecutors to live up to any and all promises that persuade a defendant to give up his constitutional right to trial and plead guilty to a criminal offense. (See People v. Mancheno (1982) 32 Cal.3d 855, 860 [187 Cal.Rptr. 441, 654 P.2d 211] [emphasizing due process and the integrity of the plea bargaining system require the state to keep its word when it offers inducements in exchange for a plea of guilty].) Courts expect prosecutors to honor their plea promises, even though prosecutors are often overworked and sometimes make innocent mistakes in the course of the plea bargaining process: A heavy workload may well explain [such mistakes], but it does not excuse them. (Santobello v. New York, supra, 404 U.S. at p. 260, 92 S.Ct. 495 [prosecutor's innocent mistake insufficient basis to justify government's breach of plea agreement].)

[188 Cal.Rptr.3d 877]