Introduction
There are a bevy of mitigating circumstances that can ensure an acquittal in the event you are arrested and charged with murder. Circumstances play a vital role in criminal implications when there is loss of life as the result of a confrontation or other incident. The attorneys at Zaire & Wade have successfully defended hundreds of clients on murder charges, and are capable, perhaps more so than any other firm, of putting in motion a winning strategy on your behalf.On occasion, death can be determined as justifiable. This can be the case when an individual is killed in an act of self-defense on the part of the assaliant.
If there was no self-defense involved, the homicide will be considered murder, and the potential sentencing will be dire. A murder conviction can result in life in prison or even death.
But just like in all criminal matters, all of the facts and evidence at play will be considered at trial. Retaining an experienced attorney who is expert at presenting all of the possible mitigating facts and circumstances at trial is critical to your freedom and your very life.
You must hire a criminal defense attorney who possesses a thorough understanding of the nuances of the charges levied against you, someone who possesses the vital experience and deep resources to craft a defense strategy to ensure a not guilty verdict. If that not guilty verdict is impossible, then ensuring the least severe sentence in the event of a conviction is the next best option.
When force is justified
Self-defense if your life is in jeopardy is always permissible. If another individual is attempting to kill you, or attempting to commit another felony crime upon you, and your reaction results in the death of your attacker, "justifiable deadly force" will be an appropriate defense.Zaire & Wade can help build a case of justified deadly force if the circumstances surrounding your arrest include:
- The occurrence of death when an individual was attempting to murder you and you fought back;
- The occurrence of death when an individual was killed while attempting to commit a felony upon your home or other place of dwelling;
- The occurrence of death when you resisted or fought back in the face of a physical attack;
- The occurrence of death when you were defending the life of another person, specifically if that individual was a member of a protected class.
If you've been charged
Accidents happen. Bad things happen to good people. Those two axioms have been uttered for generations because there is complete truth in both. Even when a law-abiding citizen exercises caution. The law understands that the death of another individual may result by accident or that the death may be unavoidable and has set in place provisions to exonerate persons accused of murder. These excuses include when:- A death occurs without any unlawful intent;
- A death occurs Without the use of any deadly weapons;
- A death occurs in the heat of passion;
- A death occurs with extreme provocation;
- The death that occurs is not in a cruel or unusual manner.
First-degree murder: the most serious charge
First-degree murder is the most serious of all homicide charges. This charge can be brought against a defendant when a death is intentional and executed with prior planning and thought. Incidentally, if a death occurs, even accidentally, when someone is attempting to commit another serious crime, charges of first-degree murder can still be brought. Types of these other crimes are: aggravated child abuse or stalking, arson, burglary, carjacking, drug trafficking, robbery, or resisting a police officer with violence.A first-degree murder conviction may result in a sentence of life imprisonment or death.
If you have been charged with homicide, or any of the aforementioned white-collar crimes, or if you believe an arrest is imminent, please contact the experienced attorneys at the Law Office of Zaire & Wade today.
We can be reached 24 hours a day via e-mail.
