Murder Defense Lawyer

Attempted Murder

Attempted Murder is the attempt to intentionally cause the death of another person.  Even if the defendant’s action was only an attempt, and even if the victim did not die, a person convicted of Attempted Murder can still potentially spend many years in prison.   If you are accused of Attempted Murder or if you are being investigated for Attempted Murder, you must speak with an experienced attorney right away in order to protect yourself. Contact Epstein & Conroy at our Brooklyn office today by calling (718) 852-6763, or reach out to us online.

Manslaughter in the First Degree

Both Murder and Manslaughter are crimes involving the death of another person.  The crime of Manslaughter is generally defined as the intentional killing of another person without the elements of “malice aforethought.”  In the State of New York, Manslaughter in the First Degree (New York Penal Law §125.20) occurs, among other situations, when a defendant intends to cause serious injury to another person but instead causes the person’s death, or when a defendant intends to cause the death of another person but the defendant is acting under “extreme emotional disturbance.”  Because the element of intent is still present, Manslaughter in the First Degree is sometimes referred to as Voluntary Manslaughter, as opposed to Manslaughter in the Second Degree, which is sometimes called Involuntary Manslaughter.  Although Manslaughter is a less serious offense than Murder, it still carries severe penalties.  Manslaughter in the First Degree is a Class B felony and, if convicted, a defendant could potentially spend decades behind bars.  The attorneys at Epstein & Conroy have many years of experience defending people accused of the most serious crimes.  If you are accused of Manslaughter, call to speak with an experienced attorney. 

Manslaughter in the Second Degree  

Both Murder and Manslaughter are crimes involving the death of another person.  Manslaughter in the Second Degree (New York Penal Law §125.15), sometimes referred to as Involuntary Manslaughter, is similar to Manslaughter in the First Degree but without the element of intent; for instance, when a defendant “recklessly causes the death of another person.”

Second Degree Murder

No crime is treated more seriously by prosecutors and courts than Murder.  Murder in the Second Degree (New York Penal Law §125.25) is a class A-1 felony in New York.  In order to be convicted of Murder in the Second Degree, the government must prove that a defendant had the intent to cause the death of another person and did indeed cause such death; the defendant caused the death of another person through reckless conduct with a “depraved indifference to human life”; a defendant caused the death of another person while committing one of an enumerated list of felony offenses or while fleeing from the crime; a defendant who was over 18 at the time of offense caused the death of a person under 11 years old and the defendant acted recklessly with “depraved indifference to human life”; or a defendant who was over 18 at the time of the offense caused the death of a person who was under 14 years old while committing a crime such as rape or sexual abuse against the victim.  The penalties for Murder in the Second Degree range from a sentence of 15 to 25 years in prison to a sentence of natural life depending upon the circumstances.  If you or a loved one are accused of Murder in the Second Degree, or if you are being investigated for the death of another person, you must speak with an experienced attorney as soon as possible.  Your freedom could depend on it. 

First Degree Murder

Murder is the most serious offense with which a person can be charged, Murder in the First Degree (New York Penal Law §125.27) is a class A-1 felony in the State of New York and carries the possibility of natural life in prison.  Murder in the First Degree covers the intentional killing of a person when one of an enumerated list of aggravating factors is also present.  Among those factors are that the person killed was a peace officer, firefighter, or similar person in the performance of his or her official duties; the defendant was serving a life sentence at the time of the killing; the killing occurred during the commission of another felony; the killing was by contract; the killing occurred with torture.  This list is not exhaustive.  If you are charged with a serious offense like Murder in the First Degree, it is imperative that you speak with an experienced and knowledgeable attorney.  The rest of you life could depend on it.