In Texas and elsewhere, homicide crimes are deemed the most serious. If you have been arrested on charges of one of these crimes, it’s important to immediately seek help to protect your rights and future.
What is a homicide crime?
Homicide crimes are those that occur when a person is killed by someone else. Whether the killing was deliberate or accidental doesn’t matter as the perpetrator could still end up convicted of a homicide crime. There are different types of these crimes. Each carries its own set of penalties depending on the nature of the offense.
What are the different homicide crimes?
There are different homicide crimes that can be charged depending on the circumstances surrounding each case. Murder is the most serious of these crimes and is charged when a person has deliberately killed someone else. If the murder was premeditated, it can be classified as a felony in the first degree.
Capital murder is a crime that is handed down when a person kills a police officer, firefighter or other similar professional person. The charge can also be placed on the perpetrator when the victim is younger than 10 years old. Capital murder convictions often carry a life sentence without parole or even the death penalty.
There are two types of manslaughter: voluntary and involuntary. Voluntary manslaughter is a homicide crime that results in a killing that occurs in the heat of the moment. Involuntary manslaughter occurs when a person causes the death of someone else unintentionally.
Criminally negligent homicide is a crime that occurs when a person dies due to someone’s negligent actions. For example, if a person driving is speeding and willfully distracted and mows down a pedestrian, who later dies, it’s considered criminally negligent homicide or even vehicular homicide.
All homicide crimes are very serious and can dramatically affect your future. It’s imperative to get help and fight back.