VARIOUS TYPES OF MURDER CASES IN TEXAS
If you happen to be charged with some kind of murder case, it is important that you know the exact type of murder case you are up against. In Texas, there are four different kinds of murder that anyone can be convicted with. Two of these, you would have to face grave consequences while the rest of the two have less consequences. Hence, it is very important that you bear knowledge on such cases.
Intent to kill
The first type of murder case in Texas is the intent to kill. This happens in a scenario when you are to kill an individual without premeditation. With this type, the deadly weapon rule is also applied. The deadly weapon rule says that if you will use a deadly weapon on an individual, then in technicality, it is already considered an intent to kill because of the existence of the weapon. Without premeditation, second degree murder is what happens. Premeditation on the other hand happens when you already have plans of killing the person and that you make those plans a reality sooner or later.
Intent to cause bodily harm
The next Texas murder type is known to be Intent to Cause Serious Bodily Harm. This means that the intention to kill does not exist because you are only after inflicting bodily harm to a person, but still, the final result ended with you killing that person. Usually, the cause of this case is extreme emotions of anger. This is categorized as second degree murder and the consequences you have to pay for would be to spend 2 to 20 years of imprisonment and a cash fine of up to $10,000. Your punishment would still depend on the judge’s final decision.
Depraved Heart or Malignant Heart Murder
The third murder type in Texas is categorized as the Depraved Heart or Malignant Heart Murder. This gets a bit more complex because you really do not have the intention of killing the person and that you are only facing the punishment for your inappropriate conduct. This is another second degree murder case in Texas due to the absence of malice towards the murdered person. This just simply connotes that you were negligent about your actions and that along the way, you eventually got someone killed.
Felony Murder
The last murder type in Texas is really just basic since it can be related to the rest of the other murder types. This is what is termed as felony murder. Felony murder occurs when a person is being killed while the convicted is committing another type of felony. The other types of felonies that could be committed with this murder type are rape, arson, kidnapping, and robbery. The punishment that results from this type of crime is related to either a first or second degree murder type.
If you get trapped in some kind of murder case while being in Texas, you need not panic. There are numerous law firms and offices which can offer you the most reliable defense lawyers to help you get over with your case.