San Diego Violent Crime Attorney

Aggressively Defending Clients Against Murder and Manslaughter Charges

Manslaughter and murder are two of the most serious criminal charges anyone can face. No crime is more serious than murder. If convicted, you may face the death penalty or 25 years to life in prison. A murder charge requires an experienced criminal defense lawyer who has the skills and commitment required for such complex and demanding work. Second best will not do in such a critical situation. Furthermore, murder investigations are often long and complicated processes which involve unlimited state resources. If you are approached by law enforcement concerning a murder investigation, legal representation is essential to protect your rights.

Murder involves the unlawful killing of another with malice aforethought and is categorized as first or second-degree. Such a crime may be premeditated or may result as part of the commission of another crime. Manslaughter also results in another’s death though without premeditation. Three types of manslaughter exist, which are voluntary, involuntary, and vehicular. Voluntary manslaughter is generally defined as occurring in the heat of passion while involuntary manslaughter occurs during the commission of a crime that is not a felony or through carelessness. Vehicular manslaughter involves killing another with one’s vehicle, as in a traffic accident.

Manslaughter may result in 16 months up to 11 years in prison. It often involves excessive emotional factors which can cloud the legal issues. To avoid a lengthy prison sentence, your attorney may need to perform a quantity of work to uncover all of the facts and to present your side of the story to the court.