Voluntary Manslaughter Defense Attorney, Plymouth, Bristol, and Norfolk County MA
One of the less common murder charges (or pleas) is voluntary manslaughter.
Voluntary manslaughter is a murder committed in retaliation for what Massachusetts law calls a “reasonable provocation” — the issue at stake being just what constitutes “reasonable” in a particular situation.
If you or your loved one committed homicide in response to a mere insult, this usually doesn’t rise to the standard of voluntary manslaughter (the rare exceptions may be ethnic slurs, or remarks implying an immediate threat to the perpetrator or his loved ones.)
Voluntary manslaughter is not the same thing as murder in self-defense, in which the suspect is found to be justified in his actions because his life and safety were immediately at stake.
One important condition for pleading to voluntary manslaughter is that the homicide was committed in the heat of the moment and in a state of extreme emotional distress. If the target of a violent insult or attack has had time to cool off, and then returns to the scene to do away with the instigator, this will usually be treated by the district attorney as second- (or possibly first-) degree murder, which requires evidence of “malice aforethought” and/or “deliberate premeditation” on the part of the suspect.
Free Consultation With an Experienced Massachusetts Voluntary Manslaughter Defense Trial Lawyer
As there can be a fine line between voluntary manslaughter and murder involving “malice aforethought” and “deliberate premeditation,” only an attorney experienced in Massachusetts homicide law can navigate you or your loved one expertly through any charge involving the loss or taking of another’s’ life. Practicing Criminal Defense in Plymouth County including Brockton, Abington, Bridgewater, Whitman, Hanson, Hingham, Wareham, Halifax, Middleborough, Rockland, Lakeville, Holbrook, Avon, Kingston, Pembroke, Plympton, Pembroke, Hanover, Carver, Duxbury, Marshfield, Norwell, Hanover, Scituate, East/West Bridgewater, Rochester, Marion, Mattapoisett;
For a free initial consultation call our law office to talk with an experienced Voluntary Manslaughter and Murder Criminal Defense Lawyer at The Law Offices of Gerald J. Noonan today at (508) 588-0422. We can offer you an aggressive defense against the charges of involuntary manslaughter, but you need to take the first step and make the call. If you prefer, you can also use our Free Online Case Evaluation Form.
View Our Criminal Defense Case Results
Related Information
