When facing serious charges, such as murder charges, it’s imperative that you understand all of your legal defense options. There are tactics you can use, regardless of the situation. Your future hangs in the balance, so you need to know what steps to take.
Every case is unique, but the following are three potential defenses that you could use when facing murder charges.
Lack of intent or premeditation
First of all, you may claim that you never intended to take the other person‘s life or that there was no pre-meditation. You didn’t plan this out in advance, but it just happened in the heat of the moment. This may help reduce the charges to something like manslaughter or second-degree murder.
Mistaken identity
You could also claim that you were not the person responsible, but that you just look similar and you were mistakenly identified by an eyewitness. When we look at exonerations through DNA evidence, witness mistakes are the top reason for false convictions. It’s important to remember that witnesses are often wrong and a mistaken identity could be possible.
Self-defense
Finally, you may simply claim that you were justified in taking the other person’s life. They were the aggressor, they created a genuine fear of death or serious injury, and you took what steps you had to take to protect yourself or someone else. It is not murder if you show that you were only defending yourself.
Again, these are not all of the potential defense options you have, but they give you an idea of what your case may look like. Take the time to consider your legal options carefully.
