Guilt or innocence was never really the big question at hand in the bizarre and sickening case of Ariel Castro, the Ohio-area man who kidnapped three women, imprisoned them in his home, repeatedly raped them, and starved and beat one victim into having multiple miscarriages. Shortly after the three women were finally returned to freedom back in May, however, the big question that arose was whether Castro could face the death penalty for deliberately killing the victim’s children in the womb. In Ohio, causing “the unlawful termination of another’s pregnancy” against her will constitutes aggravated murder, and the death penalty is an available punishment — but after negotiations with the prosecution this week, the dirtbag went for a guilty plea specifically to avoid the possibility and ergo will not go through the trial originally scheduled for August 5th. Via Fox News:

The Cleveland man accused of holding three women captive in his home for about a decade agreed to plead guilty in a deal to avoid the death penalty.

In exchange, prosecutors said 53-year-old Ariel Castro would be sentenced to life without parole plus 1,000 years.

Castro had been charged in a 977-count indictment. He had been scheduled for trial Aug. 5 on allegations that include repeatedly restraining the women and punching and starving one woman until she had a miscarriage. The former school bus driver also was charged with hundreds of counts of kidnapping and rape, plus assault and other counts.

Castro was in court Friday morning to enter the guilty plea. When asked if he understood he would never be released from prison, Castro said: “I do understand that, your honor.”

He added, “I knew I was pretty much going to get the book thrown at me.” …

Oh gee, he anticipated that he was “going to get the book thrown” at him? Man, the heart bleeds. Not.