Stephen Bilkis
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Bronx Murder

Being accused of murder is a serious matter and one that may shake you to your core. Any knowledgeable New York law enforcement official or New York district attorney understands the murder numbers for their county or city. For this reason, there is a high level of enforcement and investigation associated with murder allegations.

Although many people may refer to homicide and murder as the same thing, these are actually two distinct crimes and there is a significant difference in the types of penalties pursued against someone who has been accused. It is extremely important to identify a Bronx criminal defender if you have been accused of homicide, manslaughter or murder.

Do You Really Need a Lawyer?

With so much on the line for your future, and indeed your character itself, your willingness to contact an attorney who has a track record in this field can be critical for protecting your freedom. Any knowledgeable Bronx murder attorney can tell you that Section 125.00 of the New York criminal procedure laws covers homicide. This addresses manslaughter, murder and any other criminally negligent homicide charges.

A Bronx defense attorney can tell you that homicide in New York is classified as any type of action or behavior that leads to the illegal death of a person. There are numerous different factors considered by the prosecution and determining whether or not to bring forward homicide or murder charges. Murder charges are those assessed to someone who allegedly engaged in a murder with the intent to kill another person.

How a Defense Lawyer Will Evaluate Your Murder Case in the Bronx

Usually a lawyer starts the case by asking for the facts and determining whether or not the police crossed the line in any way. If this has happened, it’s often the lynchpin of your criminal defense.

Some of the most common questions asked in the process of determining how the prosecution will pursue your charges include:

  • Was the murder planned or premeditated?
  • What was the mindset of the individual at the time the crime was committed?
  • Was the crime committed due to reckless behavior?
  • Was the crime committed with blatant disregard of known risks?

The intent issue is the crux of whether or not homicide or murder charges will be pursued. If you have been charged under the homicide section of the penal law, you are facing a felony and its associated consequences. The spectrum for felonies ranges from E for a criminally negligent homicide through murder in the first degree as an A felony. The interpretation of the homicide law has a big influence on you and your future. When someone is driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and was operating a motor vehicle negligently or recklessly, vehicular manslaughter in the second degree may be pursued as a D felony. In some situations, the district attorney may pursue murder charges that otherwise would have been pursued as a DWI because a death has occurred. This means that the defendant is at much greater risk of many years in prison based on how the crime is classified. Any type of homicide crime should lead you to hire a criminal defense lawyer who cares about your future. You cannot afford to wait to get insight from an attorney because the state will use everything in their power to craft a compelling case against you. They will evaluate all relevant forensic evidence, the interpretation and experiences of expert witnesses and try to develop a case that shows that you intended to kill the individual in question. This motive issue can be especially damaging in your case if you have not done your due diligence by hiring an experienced New York criminal defense attorney who knows what it is like to take murder charges to trial.

Your attorney must be prepared to evaluate all possible options for a meaningful resolution for you that allows you to put this unfortunate incident behind you. Being accused of murder is no small matter and for this reason you need an attorney who will evaluate your case and give you honest answers about where you stand and what you can expect as your case unfolds through the criminal defense system.

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