ALL ABOUT MURDER CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYER WATERBURY CT
March 11, 2024

Since the beginning of recorded law, the offense of murder has been seen as the most serious of

crimes, with the intentional taking of another’s life considered at least as heinous than any other

human act.

Despite how seriously it is considered and the corresponding punishments, the fact is humans

continue to kill other humans for a range of reasons, from hatred and jealousy, to political

advantage, to greed and even pleasure.


So how many homicides happen each year?


Even in cities where homicide has returned to pre-2020 levels, it is still intolerably high, with some 20,000 lives lost to intentional violence last year. Other trends, such as motor vehicle theft and carjacking, also merit significant attention. Motor vehicle theft, for instance, is considered a “keystone” crime because stolen vehicles are often used in the commission of a robbery, drive-by shooting, or other violent offense. For these reasons and to achieve long-term reductions,

local, state, and federal governments, along with communities and industries, must invest in evidence-based crime prevention efforts.


If you or a loved one has been charged with murder in Connecticut, the stakes could not be higher. Murder is a class A felony, meaning that you are subject to a minimum mandatory sentence of 25 years to 60 years in prison if you are convicted. If there are aggravating conditions such as murder with commission

of a felony or murder of a police officer, you could face life without the

possibility of parole.

Murder § 53a-54a(a)



The statute defining this offense reads in pertinent part as follows: a person is guilty of murder when, with intent to cause the death of another person, he causes the death of such person or of a third person. The state must prove the following elements beyond a reasonable doubt:


Element 1 - Intent to cause death

The first element is that the defendant specifically intended to cause the death of another person. There is no particular length of time necessary for the defendant to have formed the specific intent to kill. A person acts intentionally; concerning a result when his conscious objective is to cause such a result.


The defendant's intent is determined by whether the result occurred purposefully or by

accident. In deciding whether the state has proven the charge of murder beyond a reasonable doubt, it must be determined that the decedent's death was caused as the result of an intended or unintended consequence on the part of the defendant. The defendant's conscious objective was to kill the decedent, then he acted with the requisite intent.


However, if the defendant did not purposefully intend to kill, and the result was an accident or unintended consequence, then the state has failed to prove the required intent beyond a reasonable doubt, and the defendant is not guilty of this charge.

The intent to cause death may be inferred from circumstantial evidence.

Element 2 - Caused death


The second element is that the defendant, acting with the intent to cause the death of another person, caused the death of another person or third party.


Conclusion


In summary, the state must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that 1) the defendant intended to cause the death of another person, and 2) in accordance with that intent, the defendant caused the death of another or third person. If the state has proved beyond a reasonable doubt each of the elements of the crime of murder, then the defendant is guilty. On the other hand, if the state has failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt any of the elements, the defendant is not guilty.

Connecticut determines the seriousness of the murder charge based on a variety of factors, such as the people involved in the crime, whether or not the murder occurred at the same time a felony was committed, the type of felony that was committed, and other circumstances.


Connecticut Murder Charges

According to the Connecticut Penal Code, murder is defined as causing the death of another person when the offender has the intent to cause death. A murder charge becomes a murder with special circumstances when the offender:


  • Murders a police officer, firefighter, inspector, or other government official
  • performing their duties;
  • Murders for financial gain or hires someone to murder for financial gain;
  • Murders someone and had previously been convicted of murder or felony murder;
  • Murders while serving a life sentence;
  • Murders during a kidnapping;
  • Murders during sexual assault;
  • Murders two or more people at once; or
  • Murders someone under the age of 16.


Additional charges and penalties may apply when a person commits murder while also committing or attempting to commit any of the following felonies:

  • Robbery;
  • Burglary;
  • Kidnapping;
  • Sexual assault in the first, second, or third degree; or
  • Escape (e.g., from a correctional institution) in the first or second degree.


When it comes to sentencing, like most crimes, murder charges in Connecticut are decided depending on the type of murder charge and the circumstances surrounding the case. Basic murder is classified as a Class A felony. This means that the offender will face a prison sentence of no less than 25 years and a maximum of 60 years except if a person is convicted of a murder with special circumstances, they will face a term of life imprisonment without the possibility of

release.

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