Homicide

Homicide

Denver Homicide Defense Attorneys Protect Your Rights

Providing effective, aggressive representation in homicide cases

Homicide is a general term that refers to killing another person. However, not all homicides are crimes. Killing in self-defense is not a crime, nor is killing the enemy under conditions of war considered a crime. To be convicted for criminal homicide, certain elements must be present. Criminal homicide is defined by degree and categorized as first-degree murder, second-degree murder, manslaughter or vehicular homicide, depending on the specific intent and circumstances.

Mulligan Breit, LLC is a premier criminal defense firm in Denver. We are former public defenders with substantial trial experience and a passion for protecting the constitutional rights of our clients who have been charged with murder or homicide. We lodge an aggressive defense against criminal homicide charges to seek the best possible outcome in your case.

First-degree murder

First-degree murder is the deliberate and premeditated killing of another person. Deliberation is defined in Colorado statutes as intentional and occurring “after the exercise of reflection and judgment concerning the act.”

First-degree murder includes these situations:

  • Somebody was killed during the commission of certain felonies, referred to as felony murder.
  • The accused committed perjury resulting in the conviction and execution of an innocent person.
  • The accused showed extreme indifference to human life in general and knowingly put another person in grave risk of death, which resulted in the person’s death.
  • The accused sold controlled substances to a child under the age of 18 on school grounds and the child died.
  • While holding a position that merited the trust and respect of a child under 12 years old, the accused knowingly caused the child’s death.
  • The accused murdered a police officer or firefighter.

Murder in the first degree is a Class 1 felony. The penalty for a Class 1 felony is life in prison without parole or the death penalty. A child older than 12 years may be tried as an adult in Colorado for committing a Class 1 felony.

Second-degree murder

Second-degree murder is knowingly causing the death of another person, which is a lesser standard than the element of deliberation required to prove first-degree murder. Self-induced intoxication is not a defense for second-degree murder. The driver in a fatal driving under the influence (DUI) accident can, therefore, be charged with murder. Second-degree murder is a Class 2 felony in most cases. If a victim was killed in a sudden heat of passion, the charge is reduced to a Class 3 felony.

Manslaughter

Manslaughter is causing the death of another through reckless action or by assisting another person to commit suicide. A person who consciously ignores the risk involved may be considered reckless under Colorado’s manslaughter laws. Manslaughter is a Class 4 felony.

Vehicular homicide

Vehicular homicide refers to a homicide committed with a motor vehicle. Often, alcohol or drug impairment is alleged, which supports the reckless action element of the crime. The sentence for killing a person in a DUI or DWI accident may be up to 24 years in prison.

Consult with experienced counsel

Learn more about our team’s skills and experience in homicide defense cases. Call Mulligan Breit, LLC at 303.295.1500 or contact our firm online for immediate assistance. So there is no delay in representation, our criminal defense attorneys return after-hours calls. Centrally located in downtown Denver, our law office is within walking distance of multiple courthouses.