Murder Defense Lawyers in Houston, TX
Different Types of Murder Charges
Capital murder is charged in cases where the victim was a police officer or firearm,
when the slaying was committed in the course of committing another serious
felony such as robbery, burglary, kidnapping or rape, in cases of murder-for-hire
and in other circumstances.
Premeditated murder, which is often referred to as murder in the first degree, occurs when
a killing is performed intentionally and knowingly or is the result of
an action that was intended to cause serious bodily injury.
Second-degree murder is charged when the defendant demonstrates that the crime was committed
in the heat of the moment and under the influence of a sudden passion
which was reasonably provoked.
Penalties for Murder in Texas
Murder is widely accepted as being the most serious type of criminal offense
possible, and as such it also carries the most severe penalties available
for a criminal conviction. The highest possible sentence for murder in
Texas is the death penalty, which is applied in cases of capital murder.
If you are charged with murder and are accused of committing the crime
in a premeditated fashion and in cold blood, you can be sentenced with
up to life in prison and fines of $10,000. In the event that you are convicted
of a murder which was committed in a heat of passion, the sentence is
as much as 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Speak with an Houston Criminal Defense Attorney Now
In some homicide cases the evidence is so overwhelming that it is not possible
to avoid a conviction, so the goal is to seek to have the charges reduced
from murder to
manslaughter. It is often possible, however, to beat these
violent crime charges by hiring a criminal lawyer in Houston at the outset of the case
to prepare an effective legal strategy and to fight to clear your name.
For example, your attorney may be able to win the case by demonstrating
that you were acting in self-defense, or by arguing that you have been
mistakenly identified as the perpetrator.
The key to success is to take action now.
Contact Guerra & Farah, PLLC for outstanding defense counsel. Our lawyers have more than 30 combined years of
criminal defense experience, and we can provide the powerful courtroom advocacy you need.
Call today or fill out a
free case evaluation form on our website.