Columbus Murder and Manslaughter Attorneys
If you have been accused of taking another person’s life, the first thing you need to do is call the Columbus murder and manslaughter attorneys with Luftman, Heck & Associates. Whether the allegations claim the killing was premeditated or was a result of your carelessness, you need an experienced manslaughter attorney near you who has the knowledge, skills, and resources necessary to protect your rights and pursue the best possible outcome in your case.
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“I just wanted to say thank you, thank you, thank you. If it wasn’t for you, I’d still be sitting in jail. You’re very good at what you do.”
Luftman, Heck & Associates client
In some circumstances, our lawyers may be able to negotiate having the charges reduced or fight for them to be dropped altogether. If the prosecution succeeds in moving forward with criminal homicide charges, then we will thoroughly investigate the situation and determine your potential defenses, including technical and substantive arguments. We will look for every hole in the prosecution’s case and seek out every piece of evidence that supports your exoneration.
To learn more about how we can help when you have been charged with murder or manslaughter, call our Columbus criminal defense lawyers at (614) 500-3836 to schedule an initial consultation.
Ohio Murder Laws
Under ORC §2903.02, it is illegal to purposefully cause the death of another individual or to unlawfully terminate a woman’s pregnancy. It is also considered murder to cause the death of another individual while committing or attempting to commit a violent offense that is a second- or first-degree felony. While murder is often associated with premeditation, there does not always have to be evidence of a plan or prior intention to be charged with murder.
If you are convicted of murder, then §2929.02 states you will be imprisoned for an indefinite term of at least 15 years and up to life. If the victim was younger than 13 years old and you had a sexual motivation during the offense, then you are imprisoned for at least 30 years. When facing such a harsh punishment, the best thing you can do is contact a murder attorney from Luftman, Heck & Associates.
There are numerous reasons under which you may be charged with aggravated murder, §2903.01. If you purposefully, and with prior calculation and design, caused the death of another individual or unlawfully terminated a woman’s pregnancy, this is aggravated murder. This offense encompasses causing the death of another or of a fetus while committing, attempting to commit, or fleeing from certain other offenses.
If you are convicted of murder, then you may be sentenced to life in prison or the death penalty, except you may not be sentenced to death if you were under 18 at the time of the offense. When life in prison or even the death penalty is on the table, it is time to call an aggressive murder defense attorney. Our Columbus murder lawyers are ready to take on your case and fight for you.
Ohio Manslaughter Laws
While murder and manslaughter are different offenses, one is not necessarily less serious than the other. Manslaughter is not a lesser offense than murder. If you have been charged with voluntary or involuntary manslaughter, you need to contact an experienced murder attorney to discuss your rights and legal options.
Voluntary manslaughter, ORC §2903.03, occurs when a person, under the influence of a sudden passion or fit of rage, which is brought on by a serious provocation by the victim that would reasonably incite a person into using deadly force, knowingly causes the death of the victim or unlawfully terminates a woman’s pregnancy. This offense can occur with or without sexual motivation. If you are accused of voluntary manslaughter, you will be charged with a first-degree felony. This is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine up to $20,000.
Involuntary manslaughter, §2903.04, occurs when a person causes the death of another, or unlawfully terminates a woman’s pregnancy when committing or trying to commit a felony, a misdemeanor of any degree, or regulatory offense. Involuntary manslaughter in relation to a felony results in a first-degree felony charge. Involuntary manslaughter related to any other level of offense is a third-degree felony, punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine up to $10,000.
Whether you have been charged with voluntary or involuntary manslaughter, you need to work with an experienced and aggressive murder attorney. The best way to exonerate yourself in court or to minimize the consequences of a conviction is to have a Columbus murder and manslaughter attorney represent you.
Additional Ohio Homicide Offenses
You may also be charged with a homicide offense if you recklessly or negligently caused another person’s death. Under §2903.041, you can be charged with a third-degree felony if you recklessly cause the death of another person or unlawfully terminate a woman’s pregnancy. To do something recklessly means to act in a way that demonstrates a conscious disregard for other people’s health and safety. This could lead to incarceration for between one and five years and a maximum fine of $10,000.
Based on §2903.05, you can be charged with a first-degree misdemeanor if you negligently cause another individual’s or fetus’s death by means of a deadly weapon or dangerous ordinance. This could be a gun or any instrument or device capable of causing death. To be negligent means to behave carelessly. This offense could lead to up to 180 days in jail and a fine.
While a reckless or negligent homicide charge is not as serious as a manslaughter or murder offense, it still needs to be handled by an experienced murder attorney. Our legal team at Luftman, Heck & Associates will pursue your exoneration, or at the very least, seek to minimize any consequences of a conviction.
Contact the Columbus Murder and Manslaughter Attorneys Today
If you are convicted of murder, manslaughter, or homicide, you can expect a significant period of incarceration and high fines. You may be released on probation or parole in the future, yet you will still face a number of collateral consequences. It can be extremely difficult to continue your education and fine work after one of these convictions. You can be turned down for rental housing, making it hard to find a safe and affordable place to live. If you have children, you could lose your parental rights or have few visitation opportunities.
When facing the potential harsh punishments and secondary consequences of a murder or manslaughter charge, take care of yourself the best way possible: Contact the Columbus murder and manslaughter attorneys with Luftman, Heck & Associates to defend you in court. This is going to be a stressful and emotional process. Yet there are ways to fight back. By working with our murder defense team at Luftman, Heck & Associates, you can be confident that the strongest defense possible is going to be presented in court, giving you the best opportunity to obtain an acquittal or the minimum consequences upon conviction.
For over a decade, the Columbus murder defense attorneys at LHA have successfully represented clients on criminal offenses ranging from minor misdemeanors to first-degree felonies. That extensive previous experience will enable us to better help you.
Talk to a Columbus Homicide Defense Attorney Today
If you have any questions about the material or if you need an experienced, competent defense attorney, call the murder defense attorneys at Luftman, Heck & Associates at (614) 500-3836.