Criminal charges are always serious, but when the crime is the death of another human, the one who is charged needs to be proactive about their defense. It is not enough to be innocent, or have a valid reason for causing a death, people must be able to prove all of this sufficiently to a jury. Failing to do so could mean the loss of their freedom, and the loss of the life they once knew.
Murder charges are the most severe, with capital and first-degree charges as the most serious. People who are found guilty of this type of crime can spend decades in prison, potentially even the remainder of their lives. It may seem as if it would be impossible to prove if the person was innocent, but it has happened many times before. Circumstantial evidence, the lack of an alibi and a confused witness could lead to a guilty verdict.
Manslaughter carries slightly less punishment, but it is still a very serious crime. In this instance people are responsible for killing someone, but did not plan the crime. This type of charge is common for people who kill others during traffic accidents or by accidentally discharging a gun. However, not intending to cause a death is not enough of an excuse to prevent a guilty person from going to jail. In fact, some people found guilty of this type of crime can spend as much as 20 years behind bars.
Obviously, preventing a guilty verdict has to be the goal of anyone who is facing a felony charge. Even if the plaintiff has committed the crime, there may be circumstances that could prevent them from spending time in prison. These types of incidents are always carefully reviewed and must be proven to be entirely plausible to use them as an excuse. An example would be someone who shoots and kills a burglar who enters their house in the middle of the night.
The only way someone charged with this serious of a crime will be able to plan out an effective defense is with an attorney. Even skilled legal professionals hire their own attorneys when they are facing charges. This is because it is an emotional and frightening time, and everyone needs to have focus and a clear plan in order to provide a genuine defense.
