When someone is arrested on suspicion of homicide, there are many levels of stress they can begin to experience. Because of the serious nature of these charges, hiring a criminal defense lawyer is a must. When a lawyer is hired, the defendant will be able to have the legal help they need, so the process of pursuing a fair trial is not so encompassing. With this information, individuals will better understand homicide charges and why they need to consider hiring a lawyer to help them.
What Are the Degrees of Homicide Charges?
There are several types of homicide charges that can be placed against a defendant, depending on the nature of the homicide and the types of evidence that has been gathered. The following are some of the levels of homicide a person may find themselves charged with.
- First-degree murder – This means the murder was planned and carried out willingly by the defendant.
- Second-degree murder – This means the murder was not planned but was carried out willingly.
- Manslaughter – This means a person was killed without any malice or planning.
- Excusable homicide – This means a death has occurred by accident or in the heat of the moment.
- Justifiable homicide – This means the killing was not done unlawfully and the defendant had a lawful reason for the killing.
How to Get Legal Help
If someone has been accused of committing homicide, it is crucial they have a legal team working on their behalf. Waiting too long could allow crucial evidence to be lost or destroyed. When a criminal defense lawyer takes on such a case, they work with an investigative team to gather as much evidence as possible to help their client’s defense case.
The sooner a defendant gets a lawyer on their case, the better the … Read More ...