Actions that cause physical harm to other people are often crimes. The law in Tennessee makes it illegal to intentionally injure another person. State prosecutors can also bring charges against someone for their involvement in another person's death even if their...
Murder Charges
Your first steps are critical when facing murder charges
Being investigated or arrested for murder in Tennessee is a terrifying experience. A conviction for first-degree murder can pose consequences including lifetime incarceration. Fear can cloud your judgment, but taking the right steps immediately could make a...
Why would you claim something was a crime of passion?
The crime of passion defense is often used in situations where someone has lost their life. Another individual has been accused of taking that life, but they claim that it wasn’t murder. It was just a crime of passion. For example, say that someone is supposed to be...
What is the difference between murder and manslaughter?
Facing criminal charges involving someone’s death can be a difficult and stressful experience. You’ve likely heard different terms, such as murder, homicide and manslaughter but aren’t sure what they mean. While they may seem similar, there are some significant...
2 elements that are crucial to vehicular homicide cases
Prosecutors in Tennessee often try to file the most severe charges that they can against an individual who has been accused of breaking the law. Consider a scenario wherein someone causes a deadly car crash. Although the situation could lead to just a simple reckless...
Do you need to worry about the death penalty in Tennessee?
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...
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...