Murder Representation in St. Louis County, MO
Murder is the most severe crime you can be accused of, and we treat it with the level of respect and care it deserves. In many cases, if you are convicted and proven guilty of murder, you will spend the rest of your life in prison.
That's why we don't take any murder accusation lightly. The scope of the punishment depends on the degree of murder, which we break down below.
Different Degrees of Murder
and What They Mean
Here are the two main types of murder and what they mean legally.
First Degree Murder
First-degree murder is the most severe and usually involves deliberate planning, premeditation, and malice. First-degree murder is an accusation brought against people who decided to kill ahead of time and did so with a clear mind. The punishment in these cases is either life without parole or the death penalty.
Second Degree Murder
Second-degree murder still involves killing with malice and without legal excuses such as self-defense, but it is done without premeditation. An excellent example of this would be if someone gets angry and loses their self-control, killing someone in a fit of rage. They didn't plan to do this ahead of time, and thus the charge is less severe. Second-degree murder can cause someone to be punished for 10-30 years depending on the situation and can be for life in some cases. You must serve at least 85% of the sentence if convicted, even with good behavior.
How We Handle Murder Cases
We approach murder cases by hiring investigators who will interview key witnesses. Our team will conduct depositions and review police reports to see if self-defense applies to your case. We will work tirelessly in the courts to prove your innocence. We recently defended someone in court and proved his case was involuntary manslaughter instead of murder, thus drastically changing his conviction.