San Antonio Murder Defense Lawyer
Degrees of Murder in San Antonio, TX
Under any circumstances, murder is an act of homicide in which the killer intentionally or knowingly causes the death of another person, causes the death through clearly dangerous actions that are intended to cause serious bodily injury, or causes the death while committing or attempting to commit a felony other than manslaughter. Texas Penal Code §19.02 describes two different degrees of murder.
One is a felony of the first degree, which carries:
- A maximum penalty of life in prison
- A fine of up to $10,000
The other is a second-degree felony punishable by:
- A $10,000 fine
- Up to 20 years in prison
First Degree and Second-Degree Murder in Texas
What sets first degree and second murder apart from one another is the question of whether the defendant committed the crime in a premeditated fashion or was acting under the “immediate influence of sudden passion arising from an adequate cause.”
If the homicide was based on an adequate provocation, it is possible to raise this defense in order to have the charge reduced to the lesser offense
Charges of Capital Murder in Texas
The charge may be increased to capital murder, on the other hand, when certain criteria are met, such as:
- The victim was a police officer
- The crime was committed in the course of committing one of certain other crimes including robbery or aggravated sexual assault
- The victim is younger than 10 years old
Capital murder is a capital felony, punishable by a sentence of life in prison without possibility of parole or even the death penalty.
Over a Decade Serving San Antonio
Regardless of what type of murder charge is involved in your case, you can greatly improve your chances of avoiding a conviction by coming to the Law Office of Kerrisa Chelkowski for help from a San Antonio murder defense attorney with experience as a prosecutor. I have a proven track record of success in serious felony cases, such as in appeals with stakes as high as the death penalty.