Murder, Homicide & Manslaughter Attorneys in Syracuse

Aggressive Advocacy from Cambareri & Brenneck

Being blamed for the loss of someone else’s life is one of the most serious criminal allegations in New York. Murder, homicide, and manslaughter convictions can all result in life-altering sentences for the accused and it is essential that they proceed with their case with creative, aggressive, and proven legal counsel by their side.

If you or a loved one have been accused of a serious offense, then we invite you to call our offices at Cambareri & Brenneck.Our firm was founded and is operated by former prosecutors who have an intimate understanding of our legal system. For those defendants facing serious charges like murder, our team is ready to provide responsive, comprehensive counsel that puts the rights and interests of our clients at the forefront of every stage of their case.

Second-Degree Murder in Central New York

New York has two major murder charges: Second-degree murder and first-degree murder. Second-degree murder is a charge reserved for instances when it is believed the defendant acted in the wrong but did not intend to kill the victim.

Some of the circumstances when second-degree murder can be charged include:

• When a defendant acted with “depraved indifference to human life” and caused the death of a victim less than 11 years old.
• When a defendant acted with “depraved indifference to human life” and caused the death of someone else.
• When a defendant committed another serious sexual crime and intentionally caused the death of someone less than 14 years old.
• When a defendant intended to cause the death of one person, but contributed to the death of someone else.
• When while committing another serious felony (such as robbery or burglary), a defendant unintentionally kills someone not involved in the crime.

Second-degree murder is a Class A-1 Felony. If you are not charged with second-degree murder, you may be charged with similar offenses including manslaughter or criminally negligent homicide. With all of these charges, it is critical that you seek experienced defense counsel to assess the details of your case and protect you from maximum penalties.

First-Degree Murder

First-Degree Murder is reserved for instances where it is believed that the defendant intentionally killed the victim. There are also various factors that can be present in other homicide cases that can make that homicide a first-degree murder.

Just some of these aggravating factors include:

• The murder was committed for hire or as part of a terrorist attack.
• The murder was preceded by torture.
• The murder was committed while the defendant was serving a life sentence.
• The victim was a protected class of citizen (such as a police officer, etc.).
• The circumstances of the crime are considered especially heinous.

If a murder is committed during the course of committing another felony (such as robbery, rape, arson, burglary, etc.) and it is the believed that the defendant intended to kill the resulting victim, they too can be charged with first-degree murder. First-degree murder is considered a Class A-1 felony and can result in up to 25 years in prison if a conviction is reached.