Homicide

A Homicide Charge Requires Assertive Defense

Facing any legal matter can cause unprecedented stress for all parties involved. However, criminal charges are often the most difficult to face. If you have been arrested by a police officer, you know the feeling in your stomach, and the moment when your heart skips a beat — wondering if you will ever be free again. While we cannot change what has happened in the past, we can control how we move forward. No matter what your situation is, as a citizen of the United States of America, you have undeniable rights that should be protected and upheld. An experienced criminal defense attorney will ensure that your story is understood, and work with you to find a plan of action as we tackle the prosecution with a stern and professional force.

In even the most devastating of cases, our experienced legal team does their due diligence in order to provide a routine standard of service for our clients. In the state of Michigan, our group of attorneys is experienced in all types of criminal defense, including violent crimes that may harm, or cause the death of another individual. Defense against homicide charges is one branch of our practice. A homicide is an incident that involves the taking another person’s life, in either a planned or unplanned situation. Understanding the difference between first degree and second degree homicide charges will be a key factor in determining the best case of defense for our client. While each state in our nation has a right to make their own legislative decisions regarding the exact language defining certain charges and their qualifications, the law of the state of Michigan distinguishes between first-degree homicide, which is done deliberately and with evil intent and second-degree murder, which is an intentional killing that is not planned.

While understanding these key differences are important in building a case of defense, this is not the only angle that we examine when gathering the facts in order to start outlining the best starting point for our clients. Other circumstances surrounding the taking of someone’s life can be factors in determining the type of criminal charge an alleged perpetrator faces as well. For example, a person who takes another person’s life while in the midst of committing another crime may face a felony murder charge. A person who is charged with felony murder faces the same penalties as someone who is charged with first-degree homicide. Understanding these connections will help create a realistic set of expectations.

The stakes are high in any homicide case. That is why it is essential to enlist legal representation from an experienced criminal defense attorney who understands what is on the line – one who knows how to build and present a strong criminal defense. In Flint and throughout Central Michigan, that attorney is Jodi L. Hemingway of The Law Office of Jodi L. Hemingway, PLLC.