For the unversed, homicide is the killing of one human by another. The two categories of homicide cases are murder and manslaughter. Regardless of whether you actually committed the crime, you have to call an attorney following your arrest for murder charges. You have certain rights, including the right to deny answering police questions and the right to refuse consent for a property search. Unfortunately, many defendants assume that they can navigate the situation alone, often because they believe that being innocent is enough. You need to be a step ahead in how you counter the state’s case, and for that, you need a reliable attorney. Check with The Snow Legal Group for an immediate consultation. Here are some other things worth knowing.
Know the difference between murder and manslaughter
Murder is the unlawful killing of someone by another with clear intent. Manslaughter, on the contrary, is the killing of one person by another without malice. In other words, the killing was unintentional. Differences largely depend on the circumstances surrounding a case. First-degree murder is premeditated, which means the killer intended to kill the victim, while felony murder is related to a felony crime. A simple example of that would be a bank robbery or rape. There is also second-degree murder, which is not premeditated, but the alleged killer had no regard for human life and ended up killing a person. Involuntary manslaughter is also related to reckless conduct, while voluntary manslaughter refers to a situation where the killer had possible reasons to become disturbed, which led to the killing.
Not all homicides are the same
While a murder is still a murder, the punishment for such crimes depends largely on facts and circumstances, which can be unique. There are aggravating circumstances that may be taken into account, such as the history of the accused, whether the accused lacks remorse, and how heinous the crime was. For first-degree murder convictions, outcomes usually include a life sentence without any possibility of parole or death by lethal injection, and the same is true for felony murders. For second-degree murders, jail time is a minimum of 192 months. Being convicted of voluntary manslaughter could mean at least 51 months in prison. 
Meet an attorney immediately
You don’t want to say anything to the police after your arrest, because what you speak can be used against you. An attorney can be your advocate and fight for your rights. Their primary job is to work on your defense, for which they will do an investigation to find facts and discover ways to challenge the state’s case. Choose a local lawyer in your area, someone who has been practicing in North Carolina and has experience with murder cases. Specialization in the field of criminal law is a must. Also, you can compare criminal lawyers based on online reviews and ratings.
Strategies to defend murder charges
Every case has unique circumstances, and your lawyer will determine the best strategy for your case. It could be a situation where you were provoked to commit the crime. If you did not commit the crime, your lawyer will present arguments and evidence accordingly. If the accused wasn’t mentally capable of understanding the consequences of their action or had a mental disorder, that could be a defense too. Another strategy is self-defense, which essentially means the defendant committed the crime because they were in grave danger.
It is okay to feel stressed after your arrest, considering your life, job, family relationships, and reputation is at stake. Instead of waiting to act, call an experienced murder lawyer in North Carolina and discuss your case further to seek help.
