Homicide Attorney Dayton

Homicide Attorney Dayton

There are many different types of homicide, and our reputable Dayton homicide attorneys handle cases that deal with all forms of it. Let’s take a look at various kinds, then see how our legal counselors can help you.

What Are the Different Types of Homicide?

Homicide is the term that is used to describe anytime a human being is killed by another person, whether it was intentional or not. Here is a brief description of the different types of them, along with a few examples to make them easier to understand.

Involuntary Manslaughter

When a person does something that is negligent and/or reckless, and it results in someone dying, then it’s called involuntary manslaughter. Many of these types of homicides occur in vehicular accidents, such as when someone is texting and driving.

Involuntary manslaughter would also be the case if and when a medical professional such as a nurse is negligent towards a patient that dies in, say, a senior living facility. Medical professionals who prescribe the wrong meds to a patient that dies from taking them could also be found guilty of involuntary manslaughter.

Voluntary Manslaughter

This is not quite murder because if someone is found guilty of voluntary manslaughter, it means that they killed someone without forethought. The death was not premeditated and happened unplanned. 

For example, let’s say a wife goes to work, and while she’s there, her husband brings another woman into their home and has a sexual affair. The wife comes back for something she left, catches them in the act, and shoots at them with a pistol, killing the woman and injuring her husband. 

With the help of a knowledgeable Dayton homicide attorney, the details of a case like this could be made to be seen by a judge and jury as a crime of passion, therefore voluntary manslaughter.

Murder in the First Degree

First-degree murder is when someone is killed purposefully by another, and someone can be charged with it even if they aided someone else who actually committed the act. This type of killing is premeditated, such as if someone spies on the person that they want to kill for a few weeks, then break into their home and waits for them to get there to commit the murder.

Other examples of first-degree murder would be the act of torturing a person that results in death, someone who does a mass shooting in a public place, and/or a person who commits a crime with a weapon of mass destruction. 

Murder in the Second Degree

This is when someone kills with malice, but the actual act is not premeditated. They may have only intended to hurt the other person, but since they ended up actually killing them, it could be labeled as second-degree murder in some cases.

For example, let’s say that a man walks into his sister’s house and sees her husband beating on her. The infuriated brother picks up a lamp, smashes his brother-in-law over the head with it, and kills him mistakenly. 

In this case, the brother could possibly be charged with second-degree murder. But, with the help of a seasoned Dayton homicide attorney investigating the case, the charge could be dropped to self-defense, being that he was trying to protect his sister from physical harm. 

Murder in the Third Degree

A killing that doesn’t fall under first or second-degree would be classified as a third-degree murder. For example, if an ecstasy dealer sells someone pills and they overdose and die, the person who sold the drugs could possibly get a third-degree murder charge.

Contact your Dayton Homicide Attorney

If you’ve been charged with any of the above types of homicide and need legal assistance, then don’t hesitate to contact us today at The VanNoy Firm for a consultation.