Skilled Manslaughter Defense Attorney On Your Side
When someone is killed, New Jersey police don’t waste a moment investigating the cases in search of the person or people believed to have committed the crime. Then, New Jersey state prosecutors review the evidence and, depending on the particular circumstances of the case, charge the suspect with murder, felony murder or manslaughter. These are extremely serious charges that come with life-altering consequences, including significant prison time.
Do not risk your future by attempting to handle a serious case like manslaughter alone. Turn to me, criminal defense attorney Jill R. Cohen for help. At The Law Office of Jill R. Cohen, I use more than 30 years of experience when taking on a manslaughter case. I work closely with clients, keeping them informed, as I understand how stressful and overwhelming facing criminal charges can be. I use my experience and knowledge to defend you from the start, negotiating with the prosecutors to get your charges downgraded from murder to manslaughter or even to get the charges dismissed whenever possible.
Facts About Manslaughter Charges
The specific facts in a New Jersey homicide case will determine the degree of the manslaughter charge. Manslaughter charges in New Jersey can include voluntary manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter, aggravated manslaughter, reckless manslaughter, or death by automobile. There are legal distinctions between what qualifies as a murder charge, an aggravated manslaughter charge, or the other manslaughter charges. Similarly, there are differences between the penalties for the various types of New Jersey manslaughter charges. If convicted of manslaughter in South Jersey, for example, a person faces up to 10 years in prison. Like murder and felony murder, aggravated manslaughter in New Jersey carries a potential penalty of 30 years behind bars in New Jersey State Prison.
What Are The Differences Between The Various Manslaughter Charges In New Jersey?
- Reckless manslaughter: When a person didn’t intend to kill another person but the homicide takes place, a charge of reckless manslaughter is likely. This charge is possible in situations where the person who committed the crime acted recklessly while involved in a completely legal activity, such as driving.
- For example, most vehicular accident cases in New Jersey are considered to be manslaughter. When a person drinks and drives, their behavior would be considered reckless. However, if DUI/DWI results in a homicide, it can be argued that the person didn’t intend to kill anyone. Another example might be falling asleep at the wheel. This action may be considered reckless. With a strong defense, the homicide charges can be dismissed. It may be necessary to fight these reckless manslaughter charges at trial in order to be found not guilty.
- Aggravated manslaughter: The most serious of the manslaughter charges in New Jersey is aggravated manslaughter. It is a crime of the first degree and results in a prison sentence between 10 and 30 years. To get a conviction on this charge, prosecutors must be able to prove that the defendant showed extreme indifference to the value of human life. Similar to the other New Jersey manslaughter charges, the action is committed with recklessness and without deliberate planning.
- Shooting and killing another individual over a road rage incident may satisfy the requirements for aggravated manslaughter. However, with the right representation, there could be a defense. Most of the murder cases I have worked on have resulted in a manslaughter charge and as little as three years in prison or even probation.
Talk About Your Concerns During A Free Consultation
I am a certified criminal trial attorney by the New Jersey Supreme Court who has defended hundreds of cases in superior and municipal courts throughout New Jersey, and I am on your side. To learn more about how we can start building a defense to the manslaughter charges you or a loved one are facing, contact my Haddonfield office online or call me at 856-754-5501. I offer a free consultation and can meet you wherever you are incarcerated.
