Seminole Murder/Manslaughter Lawyer
Homicide carries the most severe consequences in Florida. Anyone facing a murder or manslaughter charge should hire their own attorney to begin gathering evidence to use in their defense. The state will spend considerable resources to convict you. All sorts of evidence, including DNA evidence and fiber evidence, could come into play. Hire an experienced Seminole murder/manslaughter lawyer at The Reep Law Firm who knows how to attack the state’s case and undermine the strength of the evidence against you.
How Florida Classifies Murder
Florida classifies murder by degree:
- First-degree murder is the premeditated killing of someone else. You can also face first-degree murder charges if you ended up killing someone while committing a violent felony like rape or burglary.
- Second-degree murder is a killing which exhibits a depraved mind. You might face second-degree murder if you participated in a violent felony and someone else in the group committed an act which led to the death.
- Third-degree murder usually involves a death which happens during a nonviolent felony.
- Manslaughter occurs either with an intentional act which is not premeditated or through negligent conduct. Driving dangerously and killing a pedestrian can be an example of manslaughter.
These crimes have stiff penalties. Any defendant is facing possibly decades in prison. First-degree murder is also a capital crime, which could put you on death row. You should immediately contact a lawyer to handle your defense.
Beating a Murder or Manslaughter Charge
These cases rely on different types of evidence:
- Direct evidence consists of witness testimony from people who saw you commit the murder or manslaughter. For example, a person standing in line at a bank can testify they watch a robber shoot a teller.
- Circumstantial evidence tends to show the defendant is the killer, but it is not direct evidence. A fingerprint on a gun, for example, is circumstantial evidence. There might be an innocent reason why your fingerprint was on the gun. But it’s also likely that your fingerprint is on the weapon because you shot it during a robbery.
There is a myth that you can’t be convicted on circumstantial evidence. The truth is the opposite—most cases rely on circumstantial evidence, including DNA, fibers, hair, and even witnesses who saw you enter a building but did not see you specifically commit the crime.
We can challenge both direct and circumstantial evidence. A witness might be distracted, tired, or intoxicated. They could have had a poor angle to view the alleged crime. When weapons are involved, witnesses often are staring at the weapon—so they don’t get a good look at the killer’s face.
Other evidence can be explained away. For example, security video could show you entering a building, but the victim was already dead at the time, or you were nowhere near the victim during the homicide.
Get the Defense You Need from Our Seminole Murder / Manslaughter Attorneys
Our Seminole murder/manslaughter lawyer is available to meet to discuss the case against you. The sooner you hire a defense attorney, the harder you make it for the state to convict you.
