If you or a loved one is facing a murder charge, you are fighting the most severe offense under the law, which carries heavy penalties. Law enforcement officers aggressively pursue and rigorously investigate anyone suspected of this crime. If you believe you are being investigated for murder, contact an attorney immediately. The sooner you have legal counsel, the better your defense can be.
A murder conviction can result in life imprisonment or worse. The state of Texas permits capital punishment, so those found guilty of murder could face execution. There are more executions and death row inmates in Texas than in any other state.
Murder is a criminal homicide defined as taking another person's life without a lawful excuse. Because it involves intentional action from the offender, murder is the most severe criminal homicide charge one can face.
Degrees of Murder
There are varying degrees of murder, each encompassing different elements and degrees of intent, capital murder being the most severe.
Capital murder is deliberately causing the death of another in specific circumstances, including:
- The accused intentionally committed murder during the commission of a felony
- The victim is a peace officer, fireman, judge or justice of the court
The accused was commissioned or was commissioned and paid another to commit murder
- The accused intentionally caused the death of more than one person either in the same incident or separate incidents of the same scheme.
- The accused committed murder while escaping or attempting to escape from incarceration.
- The accused murdered a child under 6 years old
The murder is usually a first-degree felony, but if it can be proven by substantial evidence that the act was committed in a heat of passion, the charge may be reduced to a second-degree.
Obtaining Experienced Legal Counsel
Jones & Miyazono Attorneys and Counselors at Law, L.L.P is ready to help you if you face murder allegations. They understand how the prosecution and the court carry out such proceedings and have proven strategies to help you fight the charges. Time is of the utmost importance, however, so contact Jones & Miyazono, Attorneys and Counselors at Law, L.L.P, immediately if you or any of your family members are suspected.
Contact our office today for your free initial consultation. The Jones & Miyazono Attorneys and Counselors at Law, L.L.P serves clients in the DFW Metroplex.