Last Updated on: 3rd August 2023, 01:50 am

What Is Murder?

When you hear someone talk about murder, they are usually talking about first-degree murder. This is the killing of another person with several elements that need to be present in order for the charge to be filed and in order for you to be convicted of the crime. The crime must be willful in nature, and there must be premeditation in order for you to be charged with murder. This means that you must have planned for the killing to take place instead of waiting until the heat of the moment to commit the crime. An example would be if someone thought about killing a friend or even an acquaintance over the course of several days before finally carrying out those thoughts. This would be considered murder because there an intent and premeditation were involved.

When a death occurs while another crime is being committed, then you can be charged with murder in this situation as well. Examples include arson, kidnapping, rape or burglary. An example of this would be if you were to enter a bank to rob it and started shooting. If someone dies, then you would likely be charged with murder in most states because the death occurred during the crime.

There are a few elements that most states look for before convicting someone of murder. To be considered first-degree murder, the crime must involve willfulness, premeditative thoughts and a deliberate act. Malice is an element that some states also require. There are some types of murders that don’t require all of the elements to be present based on the people who are involved or the number of people involved. Capital murder is often known as the most severe in many states instead of various degrees.

There must be an intent to kill another person present for you to be charged with murder. The intent doesn’t have to be for a certain person. Premeditation is often examined based on each murder committed. There isn’t a specified length of time for planning a murder, but there needs to be some kind of planning involved. Certain murders are always classified as a first-degree killing in most states, such as the murder of a child or the murder of an officer of the law.

Penalties For Murder

Most people who are convicted of murder are sentenced to life in prison or sentenced to death. Some states offer parole for those who have been convicted of murder after they have served a certain length of time in prison. However, many states don’t allow for any kind of parole, such as Florida. Other states have a range of sentencing options, such as a certain length of time in prison, life without parole, or death.

There are a few aggravating factors that the prosecution will look at when deciding on the sentence. These include whether you have other prior convictions, whether the murder was committed with another crime, if it was a heinous act, and if there were explosive materials involved in the murder. Other factors are also looked at by the prosecution so that a fair ruling can be given.

Possible Defenses

Some of the defenses that an attorney can use when you go to court include mental illness, a mistake, or self-defense. An attorney will sometimes use an insanity defense if there is any indication that a mental order is present. Self-defense is another common tactic used by attorneys, especially if there is any kind of scuffle or defense wounds anywhere on your body before the crime was committed.

How Can An Attorney Help?

One of the ways that an attorney can help with your murder case is to examine any evidence that hasn’t been submitted and to look for new evidence. Your attorney can plan the best defense to try to minimize the length of time spent in prison or to put enough doubt in the mind of the jury or prosecution to have the case dismissed.

Decoding Murder Charges in New York: Definitions, Penalties, Defenses

Deconstructing Murder Charges

In the landscape of New York’s criminal laws, murder charges aren’t quite easily pigeonholed. There are three charges under this umbrella – first-degree murder, second-degree murder, and felony murder. But that’s not where the list ends. New York also recognizes other forms of homicides such as manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide. Adding more spice to the mix, certain types of abortions can even find themselves slapped with homicide charges.

Delineating Murder

To put it simply, a murder is when someone illegally snuffs out the life of another human in a specific set of circumstances, as per Cornell Law School. These circumstances propelling a case towards a murder charge involve situations where an individual has thoughtfully plotted the demise of another person. The charges of first-degree murder aren’t bound by just premeditation. The victim’s identity can sometimes tilt the scales. For instance, if someone snuffs out the life of a police officer, a correctional employee, a judge, or even a case witness, they’re looking down the barrel of a first-degree murder charge.

Unraveling Penalties Across New York

Illustrating the severity of its crime, a first-degree murder is classified as a class A-1 offense in New York, which is primarily the topmost category of crime in the state and comes with a similar heavyweight penalty under New York’s legal scheme.

Convictions for first-degree murder in New York can yield three potential outcomes. One of them is the death penalty. The second is life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. The third possibility is rather lighter, including a prison stint ranging from 20 to 25 years coupled with a monetary penalty.

Second-degree murder is also categorized as a class A-1 felony under New York laws. A conviction in these cases can land the person approximately 15 to 25 years behind bars, and they might also have to pay a monetary penalty.

About Turning the Tables on a Murder Charge

When it comes to defending against a murder charge, the path is highly dependent on the distinct facts and circumstances linked with the claimed crime. Yet, there exist some commonly raised defenses in murder cases.

One of these defenses can be erected on the sturdy groundwork of the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, known for its reins on unreasonable searches and seizures as maintained by U.S. Courts. If the defense manages to prove a breach of this Amendment in a murder case, the court might limit the admittance of evidence or even outrightly dismiss the case, depending on the magnitude of the violation.

Sometimes, a person accused of murder may counterclaim that the real culprit is still at large. In other cases, the defense might concede that a life was lost, yet argue that the circumstances do not warrant first degree or second degree murder charges. For instance, they may plead that the death was a tragic accident, not an intentional act.

In certain cases where the gathered evidence is formidable, the defense might try to broker a plea agreement with the prosecutor. This stratagem emphasizes the crucial need for a shrewd criminal defense attorney, especially if an innocent verdict seems like a long shot. The aim here is to downgrade the charges and subsequently land a lesser sentence upon pleading in the case.

The topic of plea bargains brings us to another important point – even though the defense and prosecution may agree on a sentencing recommendation in a plea deal, the final say rests with the judge. They can completely disregard the recommendation and dish out any sentence within the law’s parameters.

Connecting with Brooklyn’s Finest Murder Defense Lawyers

Given the intricate and serious nature of a murder charge, anyone standing in the dock needs to hit the ground running and secure the services of a skilled, seasoned Brooklyn murder defense lawyer like those at Spodek Law Group. The journey usually begins with an initial consultation, where the attorney provides a client with an evaluation of their case and discusses possible defenses. Prospective clients can also ask any questions they may have about their case. As a general rule, a criminal defense attorney typically doesn’t charge a fee for this initial consultation in a murder case.