Getting charged with manslaughter needs to be taken very seriously. Being accused of taking someone else’s life, even when the charge does not allege that you coldly planned out doing so, is no joke. There are serious criminal penalties attached to manslaughter convictions. It is a felony with lengthy prison sentences and significant fines attached. Additionally, your personal life may suffer. People you know may want to distance themselves, and you may have trouble getting a job, taking out a loan, or buying a house with a felony on your record. Finally, felonies prevent people from owning firearms, so if that is important to you, that option will be taken away.
With this much on the line, you need dedicated lawyers in your corner. Our firm has dedicated itself to defending people with criminal charges against them, and we are more than ready to help you defend against the manslaughter charges being leveled against you.
For a free, totally confidential, no-obligation case review, call us at the number (801) 758-2287 and speak to our manslaughter defense attorneys from Overson Law.
Manslaughter in West Jordan, UT
In Utah, manslaughter is criminalized under Utah Code § 76-5-205. It is defined as recklessly causing the death of another person. Recklessness is itself defined under Utah Code § 76-2-103(3) as conduct where a person is “aware of but consciously disregards” a risk that someone else could get seriously injured or killed. Additionally, that disregard must be a “gross deviation” from what a reasonable person would do. For example, suppose someone with a rather sadistic streak decides to see if their “friend” is able to catch knives that are thrown at them. One of the knives slips through the victim’s grasp and fatally stabs them. Such conduct would grossly deviate from what reasonable people do since reasonable people would acknowledge how dangerous that conduct is and refrain from doing it.
Another thing that is considered manslaughter is assisting somebody in committing suicide. For example, if someone tells you they want to end their life, and you hand them a bottle of prescription medication “to help” that they then overdose and die from, you could be charged with manslaughter.
Negligent Homicide in West Jordan, UT
Negligent homicide is another crime in Utah that is like manslaughter. The crime is outlined in Utah Code § 76-5-206 as causing the death of another person with criminal negligence, which in turn is defined in Utah Code § 76-2-103(4) as conduct that a reasonable person would know to have an unjustifiable risk of hurting or killing someone. For example, driving through a school zone at 100 miles an hour just as class is dismissed is likely to be criminally negligent conduct. If that driver were to hit and kill someone, they could be charged with negligence homicide because driving through an active school zone at very high speeds is something a reasonable person would recognize as dangerous.
How Our West Jordan, UT Manslaughter Defense Lawyers Can Assist You
When most people think of criminal defense, they think of a lawyer working their hardest to defend their client at a trial. Indeed, it is true that we will fight as hard as we can at trial for the best possible outcome in your case. However, criminal defense lawyers do so much more than pound their fists on the table and make impassioned arguments on their client’s behalf. There is a lot of work that goes into preparing a good criminal defense before a criminal trial takes place. Below, we will go through some of the ways that our manslaughter defense lawyers can help you out.
Showing Up After you are Arrested
Our lawyers are available to help around the clock. This means that we can show up whenever we are needed. This is particularly important in the context of an arrest. Police may try to get something out of you before you can get an attorney or know you need one. Do not speak to law enforcement or a prosecutor until you have spoken with legal counsel. Instead, call our lawyers, and we can be at the place you are being held in short order to provide assistance.
Building Your Case
A great deal of our lawyers’ time will be spent working on your case to bolster your argument. This includes gathering physical evidence, interviewing witnesses, and potentially examining the scene of the alleged crime. We may even be able to get some information from the other side through a process called “discovery,” where lawyers exchange information before trial.
Working With Prosecutors
This may sound strange, but in some cases, cooperating with the other side can help your case. Sometimes, prosecutors can offer deals that will land you with a lesser charge. Better still, if we can present the prosecution with evidence that supports your case and hurts theirs, there is a chance that the prosecutor will drop the case entirely. Either way, working with a prosecutor can sometimes lead to a better outcome than if our lawyers were strictly adversarial.
Represent You at Trial
Of course, we can still represent you professionally and competently at trial if it comes to it. We will use our best legal arguments and evidence to diminish a prosecutor’s chances of getting a conviction. If, however, the trial unfortunately results in a conviction, the process does not stop there. We can still represent you while you try and appeal your case. Rest assured that we will not stop fighting until every possible option has been spent.
Our West Jordan, UT Manslaughter Defense Attorneys Are Here to Help
Act quickly, and call Overson Law at (801) 758-2287 to get a free review of your case from our manslaughter defense attorneys.
