Murder & Manslaughter

Lawyer in Salt Lake City for very serious crimes

The distinction between murder and manslaughter can be a fine line. To convict you of murder, the prosecution must show that you intended to cause someone's death. For a manslaughter conviction, you are subject to the lesser standard of reckless behavior leading to death. Attorney Harold Stone fights the assertion of your intent when you are charged with murder and sharply questions the claim of your recklessness when you are charged with manslaughter .

Murder charges in Utah

You can be charged with murder if you are suspected of causing a death:

  • Intentionally
  • With intent to cause serious injury that is clearly life-threatening
  • Through actions that show a depraved indifference to human life

It can be difficult for a prosecutor to prove what was going on in your mind when you were involved in the death of another person. Still, juries can be persuaded — and a murder conviction in Utah comes with a mandatory 15-year prison sentence. You can be convicted even if you did not encounter the person who was killed. If you were involved in another crime in which someone was killed by a third party, you still face murder charges.

How manslaughter is different from murder

A charge of manslaughter is an accusation that your reckless actions caused the death of another person. Also, a murder charge may be reduced to manslaughter if:

  • You had a reasonable belief that causing the death was justified
  • You were delusional or under extreme emotional distress

Although manslaughter is a significantly lesser charge than murder, it is still a second-degree felony carrying a potential sentence of a year in prison. Attorney Harold Stone works to demonstrate that your actions were not reckless and therefore do not meet the standard for a manslaughter conviction.

You can beat your charges of murder or manslaughter

When you are accused of involvement in the death of another person, you need skilled legal defense. Call Harold Stone today at 1-801-913-7055, or contact the firm online to schedule your initial consultation.