Courts have handed down the death penalty as a legal sentence off and on throughout the history of Tennessee. Capital punishment remains a valid sentence even today. However, early in 2022, the governor suspended all executions temporarily to have the lethal...
Murder Charges
Will I be sentenced to life in prison if I’ve been arrested for murder?
For someone accused of a criminal offense in Tennessee, few charges are more intimidating than murder charges. First-degree murder, in particular, is so serious that it could result in life in prison. There are typically three penalties that may apply after a guilty...
What do prosecutors need to prove first-degree murder?
Murder charges can seriously impact the rest of your life and livelihood. In addition to jail time, having a violent crime like murder attached to your record could make it difficult to move forward after your sentence. It is essential to have a strong defense...
Murder rates have been cut in half since the 90s
If you look at the historic trend for murder rates in the United States, you'll see that it is generally a decline. There are certain times when the rates spike, so it's not a perfectly downward slope, but there is an overall decline over the decades. For instance,...
Was it self-defense or murder?
Human beings are complicated, and disputes over seemingly minor issues can suddenly turn dangerous – or even deadly. One night, a small conflict with another person rapidly escalates. Words are exchanged, and you feel threatened or attacked. You respond with what you...
Murder in Memphis: A record-breaking year in 2021?
In murder cases, one thing is true: The victim normally knew the killer. What is more interesting is that most murders that occur in Memphis aren’t as random as people would expect that they are. As of Sept. 17, 2021, there have been 218 homicides in the city. Of...
How a defense lawyer may defend a client against murder charges
You may have been involved in a situation which resulted in the death of another person. The police are accusing you for the murder of this person. You may not have intended to kill the person. In fact, you try to tell the police you were justified. Now, you are...
What is voluntary manslaughter under Tennessee law?
When one person takes another person’s life, they may be charged with a crime. Exactly what they are charged with differs from case to case, though, and can have a drastic impact on the potential sentence and on their legal defense options. One type of homicide that...
What situations classify as second-degree murder in Tennessee?
To most people, the word “murder” conjures up the intentional and planned killing of another person. However, the law about what constitutes murder is far more inclusive than those people might realize. People can find themselves charged with second-degree...
Man accused of 3 shooting deaths in Tennessee
A man in Tennessee is behind bars, accused of fatally shooting three people at the same location. Police were called to the scene in a residential area of Olive Branch at about 1:40 a.m. on January 1. That unnamed caller reported that they had heard shots fired,...