Homicide Murder Defense Attorney, Denver
Iyer Law Office LLC, Denver, Colorado
Homicide, Murder Defense Attorney: If you are charged with a violent crime such as a homicide, you need to understand that conviction could result in a very serious punishment; therefore, you must plan an aggressive defense with an experienced trial lawyer. I have handled many felony violent crime cases, such as murder, kidnapping, rape, robbery, and domestic violence. If you’ve been charged with a crime or think you might be, contact Iyer Law Office immediately and get the representation you need.
Murder, Manslaughter, and Criminally Negligent Homicide:
Murder or homicide charges are classified at different levels, and the classification is mainly due to the difference in the state of mind of the accused person, the way in which the crime is committed, the circumstances surrounding the crime, as well as numerous other complicated factors. A conviction for murder in the first degree, a Class 1 felony, has two possible sentences, death or life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
Murder in the second degree is a Class 2 felony, which is subject to mandatory enhanced sentencing as a violent crime, but could to down graded to Class 3 felony when the act causing the death was performed upon a sudden heat of passion, caused by a serious and highly provoking act by the intended victim, affected the defendant sufficiently to excite an irresistible passion in a reasonable person.
Manslaughter, a Class 4 felony, occurs when the death of a person is caused by recklessness. Criminally negligent homicide (18-3-105) is a class 5 felony.
Criminal negligent homicide occurs when the death of a person is caused by the criminal negligent conduct of the accused. Criminal negligent homicide occurs when the accused fails to perceive a substantial and unjustifiable risk that a certain result will occur, and the risk must be of such a nature that the accused person’s failure to perceive it constitutes a gross deviation from a reasonable person’s standard of care. The intent to cause death is not material but rather the negligent conduct is one which gives rise to the charge of criminal negligent homicide.
As a former Colorado State Deputy District Attorney, Mr. Iyer has the experience in providing criminal defense of all levels of homicide, including murder in the first degree.
When charged with a crime as serious as homicide in Denver, Colorado, it’s important to take your time seeking out the best defense attorney to ensure you are represented in the most favorable light possible in court.
- A homicide defense attorney should be responsive. When you’re facing a homicide charge, time is of the essence. You need an Englewood, CO criminal homicide defense attorney who’s going to get to work on the case right away. When you contact a lawyer, they should respond very quickly. Their legal team should be able to schedule a meeting with you within one day.
- The right homicide defense attorney is experienced with violent crime cases in Denver, CO. Although they may practice in other areas of criminal law, the right attorney is experienced in very serious felony cases including violent crimes. The practice of law is exactly that: practice. Your attorney needs regular practice in this specific area of law to stay up to date on the best possible defenses.
- Choose a homicide defense attorney who is experienced with Englewood area courts. In addition to finding a lawyer who is qualified in criminal law, you should look for one who is experienced in the applicable local courts. This aspect of choosing the right defense attorney is often overlooked, but local connections and relationships can really go a long way when fighting a serious criminal charge. Not only does each court handle things their own way; each judge handles things their own way too. Knowing the ins and outs of the specific court you’re up against can help you create a winning strategy for your homicide case.
- Use only reputable sources. You can learn a lot about a homicide defense attorneys in Denver, CO on the internet. Some sources are reputable and some are not. You can check the State Bar of Colorado to see if an attorney has any formal discipline on their record. That is a good place to start but your research should not stop there.
Websites like Facebook don’t let attorneys remove bad reviews, so they can be a good place to look at what other clients really have to say. Other sites help attorneys paint a certain picture. While you don’t want to count an attorney out because of just one bad review, reading reviews can give you a good idea of what other clients have to say about their services.
- Ask for referrals. One of the easiest ways to find the right attorney for you is asking your friends and relatives if they know any good ones. Those with first-hand knowledge of how an attorney works can offer you insight into how they may handle your case.
Time Behind Bars is Not a Good Life | Denver Homicide Attorney
You’ll not hear anyone tell you how much they are looking forward to going to prison. Prison is a place that most people want to avoid. No one wants to spend their life behind bars, in cages, with no freedom to live life as you choose. But the American justice system holds in excess of 2.3 million people in state and federal prisons, local jails, juvenile correctional facilities, Indian country jails, immigration detention facilities, and military prisons, etc. That’s a lot of people spending time behind bars. And a lot of people who might have benefitted from better legal counsel perhaps.
The best way to avoid spending time behind bars is to avoid a conviction. But if you’re charged you shouldn’t panic, this is the time to have a clear mind as best you can, because how you respond in the early moments after you’ve been charged could greatly impact your future. Step one is, without a doubt, to get an experienced, skilled Denver homicide attorney on board immediately. From there you’ll be able to assess your options as you and your criminal defense attorney go through every detail of your case together. Let’s consider the state of Colorado’s crime classifications.
The state of Colorado has five classifications of homicide crimes:
First-Degree Murder
Premeditated, or knowing (aware or informed) killings
Second-Degree Murder
Unintended deaths caused by extreme, dangerous behavior
Vehicular Homicide
Fatal car accidents that are caused by DUI or reckless driving
Manslaughter
Unintended deaths caused by someone’s reckless behavior
Criminally Negligent Homicide
Unintended deaths caused by someone’s careless behavior
Penalties
Homicide punishments depend greatly upon the defendant’s state of mind. If the killing is deemed intentional, the sentence will be harsher. And in accordance with the determined level of intent, heinousness of the crime, prior convictions, and lack of remorse, punishments could range from one year in prison to life in prison.
Defenses
Homicide charges are certainly frightening, however there are many good strategies for criminal defense. The most important first step for any defendant is to get the best attorney they can afford on board immediately.
Possible Defense Strategies for Homicide Crimes:
Self-Defense
Colorado law states, “a person is justified in using physical force upon another person in order to defend himself or a third person from what he reasonably believes to be the use or imminent use of unlawful physical force by that other person, and he may use a degree of force which he reasonably believes to be necessary for that purpose.”
There are many variables and interpretations to the self-defense criminal defense strategy, but it is a commonly used strategy and it can very successful with the appropriate cases. Talk to your homicide/murder defense attorney to get a complete understanding of how this criminal defense strategy works and whether it is appropriate for your case in the greater Denver area.
False Accusations
The falsely accused—this is when a defendant is the victim of false accusations. This is a truly disturbing situation because a mere accusation can damage reputations and cause pain, even if it is later proven to be totally false. If you feel that you were falsely accused of a crime that you did not commit, then this strategy is perhaps ideal. Talk to your Denver homicide attorney for more information.
Police Misconduct
When police commit misconduct it’s a true betrayal of the community’s trust, but unfortunately it does happen sometimes. If a police officer mishandles evidence, intimidates witnesses or coerces statements, plants evidence, lies about the events or who was on the scene or what was seen, that’s all police misconduct. If you were a victim of police misconduct that resulted in your being charged, harassed, detained unlawfully, or jailed, you might have a great defense option; talk to your criminal defense attorney.
The Bottom Line
There are other strategies of course, and the best choice for you will depend on your particular circumstances and the current laws in place, etc. But the bottom line is, you need, you must, have a good criminal defense. So much is at stake, your family, your career, your finances, and your future. Don’t take a risk with your life; hire the best criminal defense attorney you can get. Whether you’re in Denver or somewhere else in Colorado, hire a homicide attorney who has a track record of success you can count on.
If you use a lawyer for business or estate planning, you can always ask them who they recommend for a homicide case. Word of mouth can be an effective way to get an honest opinion, especially if the person you’re asking wants what is best for you.
The criminal negligent homicide defense attorneys at the Iyer Law Office, LLC, welcome your inquiry and do not charge for initial telephone, e-mail and/or office consultations.