Dallas Criminal Defnse Lawyer

Texas Homicide Law

The state of Texas recognizes four different types of homicide: murder, capital murder, manslaughter, and criminally negligent homicide. While some of these charges are more serious than others, all of them can carry lengthy prison sentences.

If you have been accused or charged with homicide in Dallas, retain a criminal defense lawyer immediately. Dallas criminal defense lawyers can work to prove your innocence or enter a plea bargain on your behalf to reduce a potential sentence.

Homicide classifications in Texas

• A homicide is considered murder if the offender intended to cause the death of another, intended to cause serious bodily harm and in doing so caused the death of another, or caused the death of another in the furtherance of a separate felony. Murder is a first-degree felony punishable by five to 99 years in prison.
• Capital murder is punishable by life in prison or death. A murder charge is upgraded to a capital murder charge if one of the following is true:

• The victim is a peace officer or fireman acting in the lawful discharge of his or her official duty
• The murder is committed in the course of committing robbery, burglary, aggravated sexual assault, arson, kidnapping or other specified crimes
• The offender commits the murder for pay
• The victim is under six years of age
• Other conditions

• Homicide is classified as manslaughter if the perpetrator recklessly causes the death of another. Manslaughter is a second-degree felony and punishable by two to 20 years in prison and a fine of not more than $10,000.
• Homicide is classified as criminally negligent if the offender causes the death of another through criminal negligence. Criminally negligent homicide is classified as a state jail felony and is punishable by 180 days to two years in prison and a fine of not more than $10,000.

The death penalty and death row in Texas

According to the Death Penalty Information Center, 337 inmates currently reside on death row in Texas, ten of whom are women. The state of Texas uses lethal injection to kill death row offenders and the average offender spends 10.26 years on death row prior to execution.

Contact a Dallas criminal defense lawyer

Murder and other kinds of homicide are very serious offenses in Texas. If you have been accused of murder or homicide in Dallas, criminal defense lawyers at the Law Office of Alan C. Kazdoy can help you fight the charge. Contact us online today, or call us at (214) 272-0043.