Oklahoma City Murder Defense Lawyer

If you’ve been charged with murder (to any degree), you can expect your life to drastically change, and for the worse. However, with the right murder defense lawyer in your corner, you stand a far greater chance of beating your charges, or at least having them mitigated so you can get back to living your life sooner, rather than later. Contact the Brilliant Brawler today to learn more about murder charges in Oklahoma and how a strong OKC criminal defense lawyer can fight for you.

Murder Defense Lawyer | Here to Preserve Your Future

A murder conviction can permanently alter the course of your life. Don’t make the mistake of facing these charges on your own. With the Brilliant Brawler in your corner, you can feel confident and ready to take on your charges head-on.

Types of Murder Charges

The first thing you should understand is that there are two types of murder charges a person can face: first-degree murder and second-degree murder. The primary differences between first-degree murder and second-degree murder charges are premeditation and intent. This means that, in most cases, for someone to be convicted of first-degree murder, there must be evidence that the individual thought it through and intended to end a person’s life. Note, however, that this does not mean the person planned an attack for weeks; premeditation can occur in an instant.

That said, there are exceptions, such as if a death occurs while the individual is committing certain felonies listed in the first-degree murder statute. For example, if forcible rape, first-degree arson, or robbery with a dangerous weapon leads to the death of another, a person may be charged with first-degree murder regardless of intent. The statute also treats the death of a child from abuse as first-degree murder under a separate provision. The penalties for first and second-degree murder in the state of Oklahoma are as follows:

• Second-degree murder: Anywhere between 10 years of incarceration and a life sentence.
• First-degree murder: Either a life sentence, a life sentence without the possibility of parole, or death.

Defenses Against Murder Charges

A person can face first or second-degree murder charges for a number of reasons, and because of these, the potential defense our firm will use depends on the specifics of your case. However, some common defenses against murder charges are as follows:

• There was a case of mistaken identity
• The act was justified, in that it was an act of self-defense or defense of another person
• It was an exercise of duty (such as if a police officer lawfully kills someone in the line of duty)
• It was to prevent a crime, such as a break-in
• Insanity
• It was accidental

Separately, evidence that the killing occurred in the heat of passion, or evidence of battered woman syndrome supporting a claim of self-defense, may not defeat the charge outright but can reduce a murder charge to manslaughter or support a justification defense.

Contact a Murder Defense Lawyer Today

The bottom line is that regardless of the charges you’re facing, if you’re accused of taking the life of another, the most important thing you can do is retain the services of a seasoned murder defense lawyer at once. Contact the Jones Firm, PLLC today so our legal team can get working on your case.