Homicide Criminal Defense Attorney in Orlando, Central Florida
If you are facing charges on a murder case we suggest that you contact in Orlando, Central Florida, immediately. Murder or homicide is considered by many to be the ultimate crime which will likely lead to severe punishment if the accused is convicted. The penalties facing an accused are extremely punitive and should be tackled and addressed by an experienced, knowledgeable, creative and aggressive homicide lawyer in Orlando, Central Florida, regardless of the type of murder case he/she is charged with.
Types of Homicide / Murder:
- Felony Murder
- Manslaughter
- Vehicular or DUI Manslaughter
- 2nd Degree Homicide
- 1st Degree Murder
Elements of Murder / Homicide
There are instances when an individual might be charged with First Degree Murder even if they had no intend to kill the person that was killed, if the death happened while they were committing a dangerous felony. This is known as "Felony Murder." Defending a " Felony Murder" charge usually involves defending the underline felony that the State claims the accused committed when the death occurred.
- First Degree Premeditated Murder is the intentional killing of another person with a premeditated design to kill.
- Second Degree Murder occurs when a person intentionally commits an extremely dangerous act that demonstrates a depraved mind without regard to human life and someone else is killed by the result of that act. A person can be convicted of Second Degree Murder even if they did not specifically intend to kill anyone.
- Manslaughter occurs when someone intentionally kills another without a premeditated design or kills someone by culpable negligence.
- DUI Manslaughter occurs when a person is driving a vehicle and has a blood or breath alcohol level over a .08 or is under the influence of alcohol to the extent their normal faculties are impaired, and as a result of being this condition causes the death of another.
- Vehicular Homicide occurs when a person drives a vehicle in a reckless manner that is likely to cause death or great bodily harm, and someone is actually killed as a result of such driving.
The State typically assigns very experienced law enforcement officers and prosecutors to investigate, prosecute and handle homicide cases. Law enforcement typically utilizes very advanced technology, science and methods when they conduct homicide investigations and prosecutions. That is why it is critical and vital to retain an extremely experienced, aggressive and reputable homicide criminal defense lawyer and Law Firm to defend these type of cases.
Defense of a Homicide or Murder Case
There are numerous methods that we use in defending Homicides and Murders. Homicide and Murder charges may be "justified" if it was committed out of self defense from an attack that involved deadly force.
Furthermore, Homicides and Murders may be "excusable." Excusable Homicides" could occur if the suspect was an actual and continuous victim of repeated domestic battery and killed their spouse out of a perceived threat of real and serious danger against them by their spouse. This is known as "Battered Spouse Syndrome."
Another form of "Excusable Homicide" is when the suspect is legally insane. This occurs when the accused suffers from a mental illness that causes them to not appreciate the consequences of their action and not know the difference between right and wrong when the act occurs.
Misidentification of the defendant is far more common than most people realize. It has been reported and studied that the least reliable type of evidence is eyewitness identification. It can be crucial to fully evaluate, investigate and question the validity and strength of any witness, especially that of an eyewitness.
Scientific and forensic evidence has often become essential to both the prosecution and defense of homicide cases. DNA testing, blood splattering, accident/incident reconstruction, entomology, ballistic testing, fingerprint analysis and decomposition studies are but a few of the areas in which a skilled defense attorney may be called upon to address and utilize in the defense of a homicide case.
Each homicide criminal attorney from NeJame Law also investigates the actions and methods the law enforcement officers used in investigating the Homicide or Murder Scenes to see if they properly preserved all the evidence and DNA, questioned all the witnesses and other suspects, and see whether they put any undue influence or pressure on witnesses to testify against their clients. Additionally, if the law enforcement claims the suspect confessed to being involved in a Homicide or Murder, then our homicide criminal defense lawyer would consider evaluating the purported confession to determine whether or not the suspect was properly advised of their Constitutional Rights prior to giving the confession. Also, a determination would need to be made as to whether the confession was the product of coercion, a threat or a promise to determine whether it was given freely and voluntarily and whether it should be actually admissible in a trial.
Defenses utilized by an experienced homicide criminal defense attorney from NeJame Law could also include an Alibi Defense, if the accused can prove they were at another location during the time the act occurred and had no involvement. Witnesses to crimes have been mistaken many times in the past or may have a motive to fabricate. Our murder defense lawyers closely examine the witnesses' motives, backgrounds, and physical and mental stability when they claim they observed the act to determine if they have any problems with their memory, eye sight, hearing or whether they were under the influence of any drugs or alcohol.
There are times when a person may be responsible for a homicide but may be improperly charged by the State with a more serious charge than they actually committed. For example the State could improperly charge a person with First Degree Murder when the person's action at most would constitute Manslaughter, which is a lesser charge. There are times that a death occurs by accident or misfortune, but the result of the death was not the result of a criminal act of another even though the State accuses someone of being responsible. Our criminal defense attorneys evaluate the evidence closely to ascertain and assess the charges and evidence to determine that our clients are not improperly charged for a crime they did not commit.
Contact a Homicide Criminal Defense Lawyer from NeJame Law in Orlando, Florida
Each homicide criminal defense lawyer at the Law Offices of NeJame, LaFay, Jancha, Ahmed, Barker and Joshi, P.A. is knowledgeable and available to assist, if you or a family member or friend are under investigation or have been arrested for homicide or murder charges.
We are available 7 days a week at 407-245-1232. You may also send us an e-mail at Defense@NejameLaw.com or fill out our online form and we will get back to you immediately. Our homicide criminal defense attorneys assist clients throughout Orlando, Central Florida as well as the entire State of Florida, in addition to cases across the country. It is a formidable and awesome responsibility to represent someone accused of taking the life of another and we treat our obligations with the utmost professionalism, respect and concern. The first consultation is free of charge. We value your privacy and we will keep any information strictly confidential.
