This could easily could have turned into too much of a political statement but luckily did not. 'Open Season' is one of those, and it was remarkable that a difficult subject matter (one of the season's most difficult) was handled so uncompromisingly but also tastefully too (not easy at all to get this balance right). This is a brilliant episode and one of the best of Season 13, while the season was a solid one not many episodes were outstanding. Didn't have much doubt though that it would be done at least acceptably, as this has been done before in the franchise and extremely well. One though that is not always easy to explore tactfully and it is easy to come over as preachy and/or one sided. Not just that, but also the subject matter which is as hard hitting as one could get. 'Open Season' is one of those episodes where it is very easy to tell from the basic plot summary that it was not going to be an easy watch. So as one can see there is a huge difference between the sentence for conspiracy in the first degree and conspiracy in the fourth degree, so an important detail to get right. Conspiracy in the fourth degree is a class E felony with a minimum sentence of five years probation and a maximum sentence of one to four years in prison. Melnick would be conspiracy in the fourth degree, which is charged when two people, both being over the age of 18, conspire to commit a crime that is either a class B or class C felony. Conspiracy in the third degree is a class D felony with a minimum sentence of two years in prison and a maximum of seven years. Conspiracy in the third degree also does not apply since it is charged when an adult over the age of 18 conspires with a second person under the age of 16 to commit a crime that is either a class B or class C felony. Conspiracy in the second degree is a class B felony with a minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum of 25 years. Conspiracy in the second degree would also not apply since it is only charged when two adults conspire to commit a class A felony, since second degree manslaughter is a class C felony second degree conspiracy would not apply. Conspiracy in the first degree is a class A-I felony with a sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole after 15 years. Since Julian Preuss is clearly much older than 16, and because manslaughter in the second degree is not a class A felony, the conspiracy does not meet the requirements for first degree. Conspiracy in the first degree is charged when a person, who is over the age of 18, conspires with a second person, who is under the age of 16, to commit a class A felony. SPOILER: In addition to manslaughter in the second degree Danielle Melnick is charged with conspiracy in the first degree, which does not apply in this case.

Watch defense attorney conspire