Recent alleged criminal activity in Memphis, Tennessee, has been keeping the police busy. With two reported violent crimes in one weekend, the police are currently investigating the matters.
The alleged crimes are both murder; however, no arrests have been made. The first murder happened on a Saturday just after midnight. When police arrived, they found a 23-year-old man suffering from a gunshot wound. The man was taken to a hospital where he died a few hours later. Police believe the victim knew the shooter.
The second possible murder happened in a North Memphis parking lot the next day during the afternoon. There, a 40-year-old man had been shot multiple times across the street from the CC Blues Club. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition but died the next day. The police have not released any information at this time about a possible suspect.
If any suspects are arrested and accused of murder charges such as first degree murder, there are a number of defenses available.
For example, if a defendant admits to having killed the victim, the defendant can assert defenses that the killing was justified, such as self defense. The defendant can also argue that he or she was incapacitated at the time, and therefore not legally responsible. These types of defenses require a showing of proof by the defendant in order to support his or her defense.
It is important to note that defenses recognized for a specific crime can vary by state, just as the statutes defining the crime can vary as well. The defenses a criminal defendant can assert may depend on the particular facts of each case.
Source: WMC-TV, “Police investigate two weekend murders,” Sept. 10, 2012
