Felony Lawyer – Fairfax, VA
Broadly speaking, there are six types of homicide charges. These are important to understand because even if you were already charged with one type of homicide, the prosecutor could escalate your charge to something more serious. Conversely, with the help of our Fairfax, VA felony lawyer from the law firm of Dave Albo – Attorney, your charges could potentially be reduced. Regardless of what type of homicide charge you are facing, it’s critically important to obtain quality legal representation. The seriousness of any homicide charge demands this, given the potential consequences you face if convicted. Call us without delay to arrange a free and confidential case review with our skilled criminal defense attorney felony lawyer. The sooner you call, the sooner we can begin to protect your rights.
Homicide Charges – Categories:
- Involuntary manslaughter. If someone engages in a form of reckless behavior that unintentionally results in the death of someone, that person might be charged with manslaughter. This is a class 4 felony.
- Voluntary manslaughter. This is a homicide that a person committed when they were in the heat of passion or anger and as a result could not control their actions. This is a class 3 felony.
- Vehicular homicide. If someone is at fault for causing a car accident that results in killing one or more persons, they may be charged with this type of homicide. If the liable driver was sober but driving recklessly, it is considered a class 4 felony. If the at-fault driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs and had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of at least .08, it is a class 3 felony. If the BAC was between .05 and .08, then there may be an additional charge for reckless driving which is also a felony.
- Criminally negligent homicide. Even if a person did not intend to kill someone but they were engaged in criminal behavior, they may be charged with this type of homicide. This is a class 5 felony unless the victim was disabled, and in which case it will be a class 4 felony.
- Second degree murder. If someone intentionally killed someone, they can be charged with murder. Under the following circumstances, they may be charged with second degree murder:
- A murder that reflected the killer’s indifference to the victim’s life.
- A murder that occurred after the killer intended to seriously harm the victim.
- A murder that was not planned but occurred because the killer had malice and intention to harm.
- First degree murder. This is a class 1 felony and the minimum punishment for a conviction is life imprisonment. If the victim was a firefighter, emergency medical technician, or a peace officer then the defendant will be charged with additional offenses.
If you have been charged with homicide, or believe you may be soon charged, contact a Fairfax, VA felony lawyer immediately. Our legal team will arrange a free consultation for you with our skilled Fairfax, VA felony lawyer that community members in need of a strong legal defense have turned to for help since 1988.