Houston Homicide Defense Attorney

Providing Aggressive Legal Representation For Clients Charged With Murder

If you or a family member have been arrested and facing a homicide charge, you cannot afford not to hire a criminal defense lawyer. Texas is a state well-known for its tough stance on murder, and anyone facing any type of murder charges must have a qualified murder defense attorney with extensive experience handling murder cases.

The Cory Roth Law Office recognizes this is most likely the most overwhelming situation you may ever experience. The potential risks to your life and your freedom are very real, and you need an attorney who will fight aggressively to protect your legal rights.

The Cory Roth Law Office understands that often, good people end up in situations that they did mean to happen. Our legal team is highly dedicated to providing our clients with the compassion and integrity they deserve to help them navigate the complex Texas criminal justice system.

One of the first calls you must make to protect your rights, freedom, and reputation is to the Cory Roth Law Office to schedule a consultation to discuss your case.

We will gladly sit down with you to thoroughly evaluate your case and determine the available legal options.

What Are the Different Degrees of Murder in Our State?

Unlike other states, Texas uses degrees of murder to charge defendants accused of killing another person. As a result, the killing of another person can only face one of four potential homicide charges. Homicide in Texas is defined as intentionally, recklessly, knowingly, or with criminal negligence causing the death of an individual.

To understand how Texas charges homicides, they can be compared with murder charges in other parts of the country. For example, in Texas, first-degree murder is defined as capital murder and second-degree murder is only referred to as murder.

The four different types of homicide in Texas include:

Criminally Negligent Homicide

Individuals can be charged with criminally negligent homicide if they kill another person by acting dangerously but without the intention to do them harm. For example, a person can be charged with vehicular manslaughter if they drive under the influence and cause an accident that results in a fatality.

Manslaughter charges

Involuntary manslaughter may be charged when a person accidentally kills another individual without malice or the intention to cause them harm through reckless behavior. Conversely, voluntary manslaughter may be charged if someone accidentally kills another individual due to non-premeditated or unintentional harm.

Murder

The Texas penal code stipulates that a person commits murder when the following legal criteria are present:

• The act that killed the victim was premeditated.
• The defendant acted with intent to cause serious bodily injury and subsequently committed an act that caused the victim’s death.
• The defendant did or was attempting to commit a felony and, in the course of the criminal conduct, did engage in an act that caused the victim’s death.

Capital Murder

Capital murder is the most serious homicide charge under Texas law. The law stipulates several different factors that could result in a person being charged with capital murder, which include:

• The victim is under age 10.
• Murder for hire
• The victim was a firefighter, law enforcement officer, or court officer.
• The defendant causes the death of another while incarcerated.
• The defendant murdered more than one person.
• The defendant causes the victim’s death in the commission of a robbery, sexual assault, burglary, kidnapping, or arson.

Anyone facing a capital murder charge should understand that a conviction could result in them being subject to the death penalty.

What Are the Criminal Penalties For Homicide?

Texas has some of the most stringent laws on the books regarding homicide convictions. For this reason, defendants in homicide cases must have a criminal lawyer who understands the potential penalties and how to protect their client’s freedom.

The penalties for the various homicide charges in Texas include:

• Criminally negligent homicide: Criminally negligent homicide is charged as a state jail felony charge, and if convicted, the accused could be sentenced to 180 days to two years in jail or prison and a fine of $10,000.
• Manslaughter: Manslaughter is a second-degree felony in Texas, punishable by two to 20 years in prison and a fine of $10,000.
• Murder: Murder is a first-degree felony punishable by 5 to 99 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
• Capital murder: Capital murder is a capital felony punishable by life in prison or the death penalty.

What Are Some Possible Legal Defense Strategies in Homicide Cases

When an individual is charged with homicide in Texas, the prosecution must demonstrate beyond reasonable doubt the defendant committed the crime.

Some of the most common legal defenses used to fight homicide charges include:

• Self-defense
• Defense of another person.
• Fulfilling a duty if the defendant is a law enforcement officer.
• Accidental death.
• Mistaken identity.
• A solid alibi establishes that the defendant had nothing to do with the homicide.

Because of the severe nature of homicide charges and their potential impacts on a person’s life and freedom, those accused must obtain quality legal representation to evaluate their case and create effective legal strategies.

Can I Count on Your Criminal Defense Attorney to Obtain Favorable Results For My Homicide Case?

The Cory Roth Law Office of Houston, TX, has extensive experience handling all types of homicide charges and obtaining favorable results for clients. Cory Roth uses his legal experience and skill to examine the prosecution’s case and determine where weaknesses may be present.

For example, to prove that an individual committed criminally negligent homicide, the prosecution must demonstrate that although the accused was unaware that their actions could cause the victim harm, they should have been reasonably aware of the consequences.

Cory Roth knows that the state does not always get it right and is passionately committed to ensuring that his clients receive fair treatment and justice.

If you need more information about the different types of homicide charges in Texas, contact our law offices at 832-400-4133 and ask to schedule an appointment with our homicide defense lawyer, who can answer your questions.