If you are arrested in Galveston, Texas for a criminal offense involving the loss of human life they you’re facing serious felony charges that will result in a concerted prosecution effort by the Galveston County District Attorney’s Office.
The crime of murder is generally defined as the unlawful killing of another person.
If you’re charged for a criminal offense involving or related to the loss of human life, and it is not classified as murder, then it is most likely classified as voluntary manslaughter or involuntary manslaughter.
Galveston Criminal Lawyer Tad Nelson Will Help You
As previously stated, there are different forms of criminal classification for homicide offenses in the state of Texas.
According to current criminal laws on the books in Texas, a person is criminally liable for homicide if they intentionally, knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal negligence, are found to be responsible for the killing of another human being.
Murder Cases
Murder is defined as the premeditated killing of another person.
A charge of murder must be substantiated with evidence of a deliberate intent at ending the life of another person. Without evidence proving intent and malicious premeditation, the Galveston County District Attorney’s Office cannot pursue a conviction for the crime of murder and must reduce the charge to that of either voluntary manslaughter, or involuntary manslaughter, or throw the case out of court.
Murder charges are generally classified as either a second-degree murder, or they are classified as first-degree murder; both felonious criminal offenses.
Depending on the circumstances of the crime in which the murder occurred, a convicted defendant could be looking at a life sentence in a correctional institution operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Murder is a criminal offense taken very seriously In the state of Texas. If you’ve been charged, or expect to be arraigned/indicted for murder/capital murder, contact the Law Offices of Tad Nelson and Associates for help.
Capital Murder Cases
If a person is convicted in a Texas court of law of the criminal offense known as capital murder, the possibility of their being sentenced to the death penalty is real.
A few circumstances that may warrant capital murder charges may include murder for hire plots, murder of a child, murder of an elderly person, murder of a person who was unable to defend themselves, or murder of a public servant.
A person who is an accessory to a capital crime will be charged with a capital felony themselves which opens the door to the death penalty for them as well.
Manslaughter Cases
Manslaughter, as lawfully defined under Texas criminal law, is an act which causes the death of another human being as a result of the actions taken by the accused party.
For a person to be convicted of manslaughter, the district attorney does not have to prove a murderous intent on part of the accused. Manslaughter charges could be filed as a result of an accident, as commonly seen with DWIs that result in the filing of intoxication manslaughter charges by the Galveston County District Attorney’s Office.
Involuntary Manslaughter
Another example of involuntary manslaughter could be a case in which an otherwise responsible adult accidentally killed someone with a firearm by mistake, or decapitated someone by accident by misusing a sharp blade, such as a katana.
There are a thousands of people serving serious time behind bars as a result of joking around with dangerous weapons and/or equipment.
Voluntary Manslaughter
Criminal charges of involuntary manslaughter should not be taken to mean that the prosecution has to prove premeditation or intent on part of the accused party. The prosecution only needs to prove that the accused party engaged in dangerous acts that led to the death of another person to get a GUILTY verdict. The criminal conviction for voluntary manslaughter will result in punishment for a second-degree felony offense.
A person charged with involuntary manslaughter can expect to be charged as a felon, sentenced to a prison sentence of anywhere from two years to 20 years, and responsible of paying fines of up to $10,000.
Galveston Lawyer Tad Nelson Will Defend You
Galveston criminal defense attorney Tad Nelson has dedicated his life to defending the rights of the criminally accused in the state of Texas. For over 2½ decades he has practiced criminal defense law, and has worked with a tireless effort to continuously expand his education for the benefit of his clients. As an attorney who is Texas Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, you can have confidence in knowing that attorney Tad A. Nelson is one of the best criminal defense lawyers currently practicing law in Galveston County, Texas today.
Not only is attorney Tad Nelson a highly experienced Galveston criminal lawyer by the sheer virtue of his 25 years worth of experience as a criminal case litigation specialist, he is also a scientist. In addition to holding credentials as a scientific expert, he is also a current member and participating graduate of the National College of DUI Defense (NCDD); an organization dedicated to improving the criminal defense bar.
Facing up to 20 years in prison, a life sentence behind bars, or the dread of a coming death penalty doesn’t have to be the case for you. If you’re facing a murder conviction it’s important to know that the people who get the maximum sentences imposed on them from jurors were simply represented by poor counsel.
We’ve all seen this play out in the media; a person accused of a heinous crime seems to get a light sentence, and a person convicted of a seemingly minor criminal offense ends up getting more time than the person who murdered someone.
This phenomenon is known as the difference between being represented by an incompetent attorney versus being represented by a competent attorney.
Unlike the majority of his colleagues, attorney Tad Nelson has recommendations from across the spectrum. We can provide you with verifiable recommendations from other attorneys, our clients, prosecutors who have faced us in the court of law, judges, as well as others whose opinions may be relevant for matters regarding recommendations/client references.
If you’re facing murder charges don’t hesitate to contact the Law Offices of Tad Nelson and Associates for the legal assistance that you’ll need.
Were dedicated to helping all of our clients. We also pride ourselves in being affordable to the people who may need our services the most, yet well-known and respected enough to represent those clients who have even the highest public profiles.
