Denton Criminal Lawyers

First and Second-Degree Murder

Under US law, the crime of murder is divided into two different degrees of severity, depending on the circumstances surrounding the crime. The levels of the crime are first-degree and second-degree, terms which reflect the nature of the crime itself. Both are serious crimes which require serious defense. For more information on murder charges and associated consequences, contact the Denton criminal attorneys of Alexander & Associates today by calling 972-420-6560.

In general, under Texas law, murders are classified as murder with extenuating circumstances, and murder without extenuating circumstances, which roughly conforms to second-degree and first-degree murders in other states, respectively. There is also capital murder, the punishment for which is death or life without parole.

First-Degree Murder

A first-degree murder is one in which the murder is deliberate and pre-meditated, meaning that the murderer planned and set out to kill the victim, whether by poisoning, lying in wait for them, or other willful and deliberate action. The penalties for first-degree murder convictions tend to be more serious, as they involve planning and deliberate action.

Second-Degree Murder

In a second-degree murder, the murder is committed in conjunction with another crime. In some states, it is defined as a murder which is not pre-meditated, is a “crime of passion,” or occurs when the attacker meant only to injure the victim.

Punishment

In Texas, the punishment for murder with extenuating circumstances is 2 to 20 years. For murder without extenuating circumstances, it is between 5 years and life. For capital murder, it is life imprisonment or the death penalty.

Contact Us

For more information on the distinctions between first and second degree murder, contact the Denton criminal lawyers of Alexander & Associates today by calling 972-420-6560.