Dallas Homicide Lawyer | Aggressive Criminal Defense [2023]
Dallas Homicide Lawyer, Serving Dallas County and Surrounding Areas
When it comes to criminal allegations, nothing is more serious than being accused of causing the death of a person. Depending on the charge, you could be facing life behind bars or even the death penalty in Texas. That’s why it’s crucial to contact a Dallas homicide lawyer with the skills and expertise to defend complex, high-stakes cases that often come with media attention.
Our team has successfully defended clients against all types of homicide charges. As former prosecutors, we are skilled in all aspects of death investigations, including forensic examinations, toxicological analysis, investigative procedures, underlying motives, affirmative defenses, and mitigating factors. We are relentless in the courtroom and will pursue every possible angle to get the best possible outcome for you.
In this article, we explain the four types of homicide charges in Texas, punishment ranges, and possible defenses. But before we move on, watch this video from Christy Jack, a nationally-recognized trial attorney who has handled more murder cases than most lawyers in North Texas.
What is criminal homicide in Texas?
In Texas, a person commits criminal homicide if he or she intentionally, knowingly, recklessly or with criminal negligence causes the death of an individual.
Criminal homicide is:
- capital murder,
- murder,
- manslaughter, or
- criminally negligent homicide.
If you are facing any of these charges, it’s important to contact a Dallas homicide lawyer as soon as possible. Time is of the essence. The sooner you get to work on your case, the better your chances of a favorable outcome.
Types of Dallas Homicide Charges
Under Chapter 19 of the Texas Penal Code, there are four types of criminal homicides in Texas. All are felonies that carry significant consequences if convicted, including long jail sentences and steep fines. We break down each one below.
Murder
In Texas, there are three ways in which a person may commit the offense of murder. A person commits murder if he or she:
- intentionally or knowingly causes the death of an individual;
- intends to cause serious bodily injury and commits an act clearly dangerous to human life that causes the death of an individual; or
- commits or attempts to commit a felony and, in the process also performs an act “clearly dangerous to human life” that causes the death of another person. This is sometimes referred to as “felony murder” in Texas.
Examples of murder would be fatally stabbing someone in a fight; hitting someone in the head with a baseball bat and causing their death; being a chronic, convicted drunk driver and eventually causing a wreck that killed someone.
Capital Murder
In Texas, capital murder is the most serious crime on the books. It is punishable by either life in prison without parole or the death penalty. A murder charge is elevated to capital murder if a person commits:
- Murder of a peace officer or fireman in the line of duty;
- Murder during the commission or attempted commission of kidnapping, burglary, robbery, aggravated sexual assault, arson, obstruction or retaliation, or terroristic threat;
- Murder-for-hire — that is, killing for payment or promise of payment;
- Murder during an escape or attempted escape from a penal institution;
- Murder, while incarcerated, of a correctional employee;
- Murder, while incarcerated, in conjunction with organized criminal activity;
- Murder while already incarcerated for capital murder or murder;
- Murder while serving a life sentence or 99-year sentence for aggravated kidnapping, aggravated sexual assault or aggravated robbery;
- Murder of more than one person during the same criminal transaction or during different transactions but under the same common scheme;
- Murder of a child under age 10;
- Murder of a person between 10 and 15 years old;
- Murder of a judge or justice or in retaliation for the services of a judge or justice.
Examples of capital murder would be suffocating someone during a robbery; killing a child; fatally shooting a police officer.
Manslaughter
In Texas, a person commits manslaughter if he or she recklessly causes the death of another person. To be considered reckless, an individual must be aware of the risk of their conduct but consciously disregard the risk.
An example of manslaughter would be street racing and causing a wreck that kills another person, or accidentally fatally shooting someone while playing with a gun.
Criminally Negligent Homicide
In Texas, a person commits criminally negligent homicide if he or she causes the death of an individual by criminal negligence. A person is criminally negligent if he or she should have been aware that their conduct could put another person’s life at a substantial and unjustifiable risk.
An example of criminally negligent homicide could be running a red light and accidentally hitting a pedestrian, or carrying a pistol in a vehicle that accidentally went off and killed the front seat passenger.
What is the punishment for homicide charges in Dallas?
- Capital murder is punishable by life in prison without parole or the death penalty.
- Murder is a first-degree felony punishable by 5 to 99 years or life in prison and a maximum $10,000 fine.
- Manslaughter is a second-degree felony punishable by 2 to 20 years in prison and a maximum $10,000 fine.
- Criminally negligent homicide is a state jail felony punishable by 180 days to two years in state jail and a maximum $10,000 fine.
What are defenses to homicide charges in Dallas?
There are a number of defenses that an experienced Dallas homicide lawyer can raise in death cases. Obviously, the type of defense strategy will depend upon the facts and circumstances of the case and the offense for which you have been charged. Some possible defense could include but are not limited to:
- Self-defense
- Defense of others
- Alibi
- Lack of Intent
- Accident or Mistake
- Sudden Passion
- Insanity
It goes without saying that our team will also investigate every aspect of the case, challenging the police investigation, the credibility of the witnesses, and the reliability of the evidence. That is part of our defense strategy in each and every case. If there is an issue, we will find it.
Another possible defense strategy may be to ask the jury to consider a “lesser” charge. For example, if you are charged with murder and the jury finds you guilty of a lesser charge of manslaughter or criminally negligent homicide, the range of punishment for which you are exposed is greatly reduced. For the best chance of success, you need a skilled Dallas homicide lawyer who understands the intricacies of the law and will leave no stone unturned to find and build the strongest defense possible.
Speak to a Dallas Homicide Lawyer Now.
If you or a loved one has been accused of homicide, you can’t leave anything to chance. You need the absolute best team in your corner. Call 214-903-4000 today for a free consultation with an experienced Dallas homicide lawyer. Find out why our experience and credentials sets us apart from other North Texas and Dallas homicide lawyers.
