Legal Difference between Murder & Homicide
Posted on Jun 9, 2017 3:09pm PDT
What is the Difference Between Murder and Homicide?
While the terms murder and homicide may be interchanged frequently, they
certainly have very different definitions in the eyes of the law. The
different variations of these crimes may all depend on the morality, cause,
and execution of the act, all of which are usually decided upon by a jury.
Homicide is when one person kills another, while murder is homicide with
intent (pre-planned). Murder is not defined by common law, rather it is
defined by statute. However, homicide has quite a different connotation
and results in different legal ramifications, sometimes none at all.
These subtle yet important differences are highlighted below.
The Legal Definition of Murder is as Follows:
- Intentional killing
- Unlawful, as in not legally justified
- Committed with malice aforethought, also known as the intention to kill
someone without legal justification or excuse
- Intentional infliction of bodily harm which causes victim’s death
- Behavior which shows extremely reckless disregard for life and results
in victim’s death
Murder is not defined by common law, rather it is defined by statute. However,
homicide has quite a different connotation and results in different legal
ramifications, sometimes none at all.
The Legal Definition of Homicide is as Follows:
- Any killing of a human being by another human being
- Justifiable killing, such as self-defense or otherwise
- May not necessarily be illegal, though unlawful homicide is classified
as a crime like murder and manslaughter
Contact Our Corpus Christi Criminal Defense Lawyers
If you have been accused of a murder or homicide, don’t give up hope
just yet. At
the Law Offices of Alex R. Hernandez, Jr. PLLC, we are a team of experienced and determined
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Contact The Law Offices of Alex R. Hernandez, Jr. PLLC at (888) 907-8994 to schedule a consultation with a criminal defense lawyer
in Corpus Christi today.