Murder Defense Attorney in San Jose

What Are California’s Murder/Homicide Categories?

In the state of California, there are varying degrees of murder:

• First-degree murder involves intentional, premeditating killing. Common examples may include poisoning another someone, breaking into someone’s home and lying in wait to kill them, deliberately shooting someone, or intentionally running over someone with your car.

• Second-degree murder involves killing another person, without any planning or forethought, through an act intended to cause death or serious harm or an act that demonstrates extreme indifference to human life. Common examples of second-degree murder include impulsive killing, hitting someone over the head with a baseball bat, firing into a crowd, etc.

• Felony murder occurs when one person kills another in the course of committing another felonious crime, such as robbery, assault, burglary, etc. A person may be convicted of felony murder regardless of whether they intended or could have reasonably expected another person to die as a result of their involvement in the felony in question. Felony murder may apply to persons who did not directly cause the killing if those persons were major participants in the criminal effort or aided or abetted the killing in any way. Examples of felony murder may include waiting in a getaway car while a co-conspirator commits murder or running over another person while fleeing the scene of another felonious crime.

Call (844) 983-3011 as soon as possible to schedule your consultation with an experienced murder defense attorney in San Jose.

Penalties for Murder of Any Kind

Per Cal. Penal Code § 190, the state of California punishes each category of murder with harsh penalties proportionate to the level of premeditation involved:

• First-degree murder is punishable in California by 25 years to life in prison without the possibility of parole and the potential for capital punishment. Life in prison without parole and capital punishment are more likely when the victim was a police officer, federal agent, first responder, or other member of the criminal justice system, such as a judge or prosecutor.

• Second-degree murder is punishable by 15 years to life in prison. The term of imprisonment may be increased to 20 years if the victim died as a result of a drive-by shooting, or to 25 years if the victim was a member of law enforcement.

• Felony murder is treated similarly to first-degree murder and is punishable by 25 years to life in prison without the possibility of parole and the potential for the death penalty.

Put simply, you can’t afford to go in alone. You need an experienced San Jose murder defense lawyer in your corner, and Steven H. Nakano is prepared to aggressively contend for your best interests and your best outcome.

35+ Years of Trial-Tested Experience in Santa Clara County

If you have been charged with or accused of murder, call Steven H. Nakano, Attorney at Law, right away. A murder conviction could turn your life upside down, no matter the nature or degree of the specific crime in question. In fact, the stakes are so high that you can’t afford to go in without strong legal representation, even if you are confident you did not commit the crime of which you have been accused.

Attorney Nakano is well-known for his client-centered approach, which often goes beyond providing defense counsel. In addition to providing strategically aggressive legal advocacy for his clients, he is also prepared to help persons who have been involved in violent crime access support and resources that will help them create a brighter future for themselves, including rehabilitation, counseling, and more.

Call (844) 983-3011 today to learn more and schedule your consultation.