Knoxville, Tennessee Murder Defense Attorney

Experienced First-Degree Murder Lawyer Advocating for Clients in Knoxville, TN

Murder is widely considered one of the most serious - if not the most serious - crimes a person can commit. Taking the life of another person is an offense that can be punished very harshly in Tennessee. However, the state recognizes that there are different degrees of homicide. The type of murder or manslaughter charge you face will depend on what happened and what your intentions were. You can be charged with manslaughter even if you did not intend to kill the victim, whereas murder refers to a more purposeful killing. If you are facing any type of homicide charge, your situation is extremely serious. You will need the help of an experienced criminal defense attorney.

The team at The Baker Law Firm is experienced in representing people accused of high-level felonies. Attorney Lance K. Baker will do all he can to help bring about the best outcome possible for you.

First-Degree Murder

This is the most serious of the homicide charges. First-degree murder is the intentional and premeditated killing of another person. To be convicted of this offense, the defendant must have made the decision to kill the victim before purposely taking their life.

Second-Degree Murder

Second-degree murder means the defendant knowingly killed the victim but without premeditation. The defendant does not need to have set out to kill the victim, but they must have known that their actions would bring about the victim's death.

A person can also be charged with second-degree murder if the victim allegedly died due to the defendant's unlawful distribution of drugs.

It is also important to know that in Tennessee, a defendant who allegedly committed multiple acts of domestic violence against a victim is deemed to have known that their actions would lead to the victim's death. This is true even if no single act would have been enough to kill the alleged victim.

Voluntary Manslaughter

Voluntary manslaughter can be thought of as a provoked killing. This type of homicide is normally a violent crime that happens in the heat of the moment when the defendant had been provoked. The provocation must be so extreme that it would cause a reasonable person to behave irrationally. This often happens when the defendant was acting in self-defense, but killing the other party was not legally justified. It is common in cases where the victim had been abusing the defendant for a long period of time, causing the defendant to "snap" and abruptly kill their abuser.

Reckless Homicide

This offense may be charged when the defendant did not intend to kill the victim, but they allegedly behaved in a way that reflected a reckless disregard for the person's life. For example, firing a gun in a neighborhood without taking adequate precautions to make sure no one was in the vicinity and fatally shooting someone would likely be considered reckless homicide.

Criminally Negligent Homicide

This is the least serious of Tennessee's homicide charges. Criminally negligent homicide means causing the death of another party through carelessness. If a person allegedly killed someone completely by accident, they may be charged with this crime. For example, if a defendant was certain a gun was unloaded but failed to take the proper precautions to ensure that it was, and they shot someone, they might be charged with this offense.

Vehicular Homicide

Vehicular homicide means causing a fatal motor vehicle accident. This charge most commonly applies to people who are accused of committing a DUI or another serious traffic offense at the time of an accident.

Contact a Knoxville, Tennessee Homicide Attorney

The Baker Law Firm is committed to providing the best possible legal representation to people facing serious felony charges. If you are facing charges of murder or homicide, contact us at 865-200-4117 for a complimentary and confidential consultation.