Murder is loosely defined as the act of intentionally and unlawfully causing the death of another person. Depending on the specifics surrounding a case, murder may be charged as a first-degree or second-degree offense in the state of New Jersey. Namely, first-degree murder is penalized with a life sentence to imprisonment without the possibility of parole, while second-degree murder is punishable by 10 to 30 years imprisonment. So if this is what you are up against, you must do everything in your power to stop it. Without further ado, follow along to find out the possible defenses you may take against your murder charge and how a proficient Morristown criminal defense lawyer at Graves Andrews, LLC can help in your fight.
What are possible defenses I can take against a murder charge?
Though it may be no easy feat, you may adopt certain strategies to defend yourself against a murder charge in your New Jersey criminal court proceedings. At the very least, these defenses may demonstrate that your act was not intentional nor unlawful, thereby effectively reducing your charge to a homicide offense. With that being said, below are possible defenses you may consider taking:
- You may argue that you or other present parties were in imminent harm and therefore needed to act in self-defense.
- You may argue that your act of causing harm was accidental and therefore had no intention of killing the other person.
- You may argue that you were not mentally sound at the time of your act and therefore had no intention of killing the other person.
- You may argue that you were not present at the scene of the crime during the alleged time and therefore could not have possibly committed the act.
- You may argue that the prosecuting team’s evidence is weak and inconsistent and therefore is not enough to prove your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
What are possible pieces of proof I need to support my defense?
It is one thing to make claims that point to your innocence in the murder trial at hand. But it is another thing to ground your claims with hard evidence. This is all to say that you may require a culmination of the following proof to support your defense tactics:
- You may need evidence that the victim was carrying a deadly weapon at the time of the crime, in the form of police reports, photos/videos, etc.
- You may need to undergo psychological tests, along with evidence of your stay at a mental health facility at or around the time of the crime.
- You may need an alibi that you were somewhere else at the time of the crime, in the form of witness testimonies, photos with timestamps, security camera footage, etc.
- You may need a forensic expert on your side, who can testify that the prosecuting team’s evidence is indeed weak and inconsistent.
There is no time like the present to start building your defense strategy. So, at your earliest possible convenience, please get in touch with a talented Morristown criminal defense lawyer from Graves Andrews, LLC.