MURDER & HOMICIDE

 

Experienced lawyers ensure the rights of their clients are protected, advise them of their options, and provide a comforting voice during stressful times.

It is difficult for the prosecution to prove a murder case. In order to do so, the prosecution must show the act was committed with a certain state of mind.

While most people are under the belief that murder and homicide are the same thing, this is not the case. Murder is actually a type of crimal homicide. The laws of the Pennsylvania define a homicide as being one of the following three main types:

MURDER

  • Murder of the 1st Degree: An intentional killing.
  • Murder of the 2nd Degree: A killing that occurs during the perpetration of another felony.
  • Murder of the 3rd Degree: A killing with malice.

VOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER

  • Voluntary Manslaughter (Heat of Passion): A killing that occurs while acting under a sudden and intense passion resulting from serious provocation by the victim.
  • Voluntary Manslaughter (Imperfect Self Defense): A killing that occurs while acting under an unreasonable belief that the use of deadly force is immediately necessary for the purpose of protecting oneself against the use of deadly force by another person on the present occasion.

INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER

  • Involuntary Manslaughter: A death that occurs as the result of the doing of either a lawful or an unlawful act in a reckless or grossly negligent manner.

Pennsylvania law also recognizes two additional forms of Homicide:

HOMICIDE BY VEHICLE
HOMICIDE BY VEHICLE WHILE DUI

Obviously, a homicide offense is the most serious offense that can be charged by the prosecution and, consequently, it carries the most serious penalties, up to and including life in prison or the death penalty.

Regardless of the circumstances, all homicide offenses are very serious in nature and require representation by an experienced, skilled and committed criminal defense attorney. In fact the law states that anyone charged with a homicide that the prosecution is seeking the death penalty, must be represented by a criminal defense attorney that is certified by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

At Mullaney & Mullaney we are certified, have both prosecuted and defended homicide cases, and we understand every nuance and challenge that comes along with representing clients that are charged with these most serious of offenses.

We will work tirelessly to get the charges against our clients reduced or dropped altogether. Your future and freedom are too valuable to gamble – contact defense attorney Martin Mullaney for assistance today.