Facing a murder charge is possibly the hardest thing a person could ever do. The legal process combined with the stress, the worry, and the hopelessness can leave you feeling completely overwhelmed. If you are facing murder accusations, you need a team of experienced lawyers to defend you. With over 30 years of experience in the field, the Orange County Murder Defense Attorneys at Wallin & Klarich have the legal experience you need. Together we can get through this.
What is Murder?
Under California Penal Code section 187, “murder” is the killing of another person with malice aforethought. Malice aforethought means that you intended to: kill, seriously harm another, or engage in activities likely to result in either.
Under Penal Code section 189, murder is divided into two degrees. First-degree murder is a killing that is premeditated and deliberate. It can also be a killing accomplished through activities such as; lying in wait, torture, explosives, armor-piercing ammo, or when a death occurs during the commission of a serious felony. All other murder is second-degree murder.
Under Penal Code section 190.1 through 190.5, a conviction for first-degree murder is punishable by death, life imprisonment without possibility of parole, or 25-to-life in prison. Under section 190(a), a conviction for second-degree murder carries a 15-to-life prison sentence.
Types of defenses
However all is not lost. If you face murder charges, the Orange County Murder Defense Attorneys at Wallin & Klarich can help you. With over 30 years of experience in criminal law, our attorneys can take some of the weight off your shoulders.
Your particular defense depends on the facts of your case. We will work with you to plan the best possible defense strategy. These strategies could result in an acquittal, dismissal or a reduction in the charges.
Self-defense is a complete defense to the charges so long as your reaction is proportional to the danger you face. For murder charges, this means if you reasonably believe that you or another person is in imminent danger of being killed, being seriously injured, or being raped, maimed, or robbed, you may use deadly force to defend yourself.
Where someone dies by accident, it is not murder. If someone died and you did not intend to harm them, you were not behaving negligently, and you were behaving lawfully, then we may be able to have the charges dismissed.
In some cases, we can attempt to have the murder charges reduced to the related crime of voluntary manslaughter. Under Penal Code section 192(a), voluntary manslaughter is where you did not intend to kill someone, but you acted out of extreme emotion. It is also commonly charged in cases of imperfect self-defense-where you believed you were in imminent danger, but your belief was unreasonable. A voluntary manslaughter conviction carries a sentence of 3 to 11 years in prison under Penal Code section 193.
Retaining an experienced Orange County Murder Defense Attorney is your best chance at beating these charges. With over 30 years of criminal practice in Orange County, the Orange County Murder Defense Attorneys at Wallin & Klarich have the knowledge, skill, and experience to defend you. We have helped many people facing these charges and we can help you too. Give our office a call at (888) 280-6839. We will be there when you call.
