Damico & Stockstill, Attorneys at Law

80 Years Of Combined Trial Experience

When to worry about capital punishment

On Behalf of | Jun 14, 2016 | Firm News, Murder & Other Homicide Crimes |

The death penalty is the harshest sentence a court can hand you. After all, once your life is gone, there is nothing more they can take from you. While most of the US does not allow for capital punishment and sentences of death, Louisiana does. The decision to pursue execution as a punishment is reserved for specific types of charges and, outside of homicide, the only other crime for which it could be a punishment is treason.

When you are facing homicide charges, your first thought may be regarding your future should you be found guilty. If that is the case, it would help to know the types of homicide crimes that are punishable b a death sentence. The method is lethal injection and it is only employed upon some findings of murders that involved:

  • A minor child under 12 or an elderly adult more than 65 years.
  • Distribution or other drug-related activities of the drug.
  • Aggravated kidnapping.
  • Aggravated arson.
  • A drive-by shooting.
  • A particularly terrible and cruel act.
  • Aggravated or forceful rape.
  • Simple, armed or first-degree robbery where the victim was a police officer or fireman doing his or her duty.
  • Creating the danger of significant physical harm or death to two or more people.
  • Aggravated burglary.
  • A prior conviction for serious crimes including a prior murder charge.
  • Aggravated escape.
  • A profit for committing the crime.

If you are facing charges of murder or are a person of interest in a murder or other violent crime, you could benefit from the counsel of a criminal defense attorney who advocates on your behalf and realizes the gravity of what a conviction could mean.

Obviously, a murder conviction of any kind brings with it far-reaching consequences. Protect yourself with an attorney who will work diligently to protect you.

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