Charged with Murder? Advice from an Experienced Chicago Criminal Defense Attorney

If you or a loved one was charged with the crime of committing murder, the time is now to speak with a defense attorney. Murder charges are some of the most serious, and carry the gravest punishments, in Illinois criminal law.

If convicted, you could face severe penalties such as spending the remainder of your days in a prison cell. This is why it so important to have a skilled and respected advocate on your side who will fight for your rights in court.

Different Types of Murder Charges

Many people think murder is murder. It is one person taking the life of another. That is not the case under Illinois law. There are multiple “shades” of murder based on varying degrees of intent.

First Degree Murder

First degree murder is generally considered to be the most serious form of murder charges that can be brought against you. In order to be convicted of first degree murder, a prosecutor must prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that you killed someone without lawful justification and you

• (i) intended to kill that person or do great bodily harm to them,
• (ii) you knew that the act would most likely result in death or great bodily harm, or
• (iii) you were attempting to commit a forcible felony (e.g., rape).

If convicted of first degree murder, you could be sentenced to serve between 20 and 60 years in prison, but if aggravating factors exist, you could be sentenced to serve life in prison. If that was not bad enough, under Illinois law, all first degree murder convictions must be served in their entirety (i.e. no time off for good behavior).

Second Degree Murder

As with first degree murder, a state prosecutor must prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that you unlawfully killed someone and intended to kill or do harm or knew that the act would cause death or harm. However, second-degree murder charges are usually pursued when there is evidence that you were

• (i) acting under “a sudden and intense passion” at the time of the killing due to being seriously provoked and ended up accidentally or negligently killing an innocent person, or
• (ii) you believed that the killing would have been lawfully justified at the time of the killing but that belief was ultimately unreasonable.

Second degree murder is a class 1 felony. If convicted, you could be ordered to serve between 4 and 20 years in prison.

Involuntary Manslaughter

In addition to first and second degree murder, a lesser charge related to the loss of life is involuntary manslaughter. This offense is defined as the unintentional killing of another person without lawful justification.

The key distinction between manslaughter and murder is intent. When someone is charged with murder, the state is alleging that the defendant intended to take the life of another person. When someone is charged with manslaughter, it generally involves someone who accidentally or unintentionally took the life of another.

Involuntary manslaughter is categorized as a Class 3 Felony. If convicted, you could be ordered to serve between 2 and 5 years in prison. Though, depending on the circumstances of your case, the charges could elevated to a Class 2 Felony which includes a potential prison term of between 3 and 7 years.

Importance of Respected and Effective Legal Representation

Getting convicted of murder or manslaughter can result in the complete ruination of your life. These are some of the most serious criminal charges under Illinois law, so a conviction means you would likely be forced to spend years in prison, pay massive fines, among a host of other penalties.

This is why it is absolutely crucial you speak with an attorney and secure representation. You owe to yourself and your future to have an advocate fight for you in corut.

Charged with Murder in Chicago? Take Action Now by Contacting the Chicago Criminal Law Firm

Getting charged with murder is a significant, life altering event. Even if you are completely innocent, the charges alone could do significant harm to your personal and professional life. The stakes are high, which is why it makes sense to speak with a skilled defense lawyer sooner rather than later.

Chicago defense attorney Vadim A. Glozman and the Chicago Criminal Law Firm are ready and able to you help take on the government when charged with alleged murder. Glozman is a skilled and highly experienced criminal defense attorney who has handled high-profile criminal cases, including murder cases. Glozman and his team of experienced legal professionals with the Chicago Criminal Law Firm fully understand the fear and the anxiety that you may be experiencing when charged with murder.

You can be sure that if you choose to work with our firm, we will aggressively defend your rights and fight for your goals and desires to achieve a positive outcome in your case. Take action today by contacting our law firm to schedule a free, confidential case review.