Manslaughter Lawyer San Marcos, TX

Manslaughter

Being responsible for someone’s death is awful, but if it’s an accident it may be even worse. For example, suppose you pointed a gun at a friend in San Marcos you didn’t know was loaded and it went off and killed them. You could face manslaughter and other charges, such as accidental killing. If you’ve been charged with manslaughter, speak to our manslaughter lawyer in San Marcos, Tx to fight the charges.

What Is Manslaughter In Texas?

The Texas penal code states that manslaughter is recklessly causing someone’s death. The act will be deemed reckless under the law if you were aware of the risk that the conduct could cause, or that someone could die, but you disregarded these facts.

To be so charged in Texas, the prosecutor does not need to prove that you had intent or premedication to commit the crime. The only relevant fact to be proven is that you acted recklessly and caused the death.

Texas does not distinguish between voluntary and involuntary manslaughter, like many states. However, Texas does have specific types of crime, such as intoxication manslaughter and vehicular manslaughter.

You can be charged with intoxication manslaughter if you were driving drunk and killed someone. This also is a second-degree felony and carries the same punishments as manslaughter.

With vehicular manslaughter, no statute in the state outlines this crime, but it can be charged with other relevant statutes. If the person’s death involved a vehicle moving and driving recklessly, the prosecutor can charge vehicular manslaughter.

Texas Manslaughter Penalties

Manslaughter is a second-degree felony in Texas, and you can receive up to 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. You could face additional penalties if you have a criminal record and have been convicted of serious crimes.

What Are Possible Manslaughter Defenses?

If you are accused of manslaughter, you face prison time, fines, and a life of difficulties when you serve your sentence. So, it’s vital to mount a vigorous defense with the help of your San Marcos manslaughter lawyer. Fortunately, several potential defenses could help to beat the charges.

For example, if you were not the person who committed the crime, you would need to present a strong alibi that you were not present at the crime scene. This can be effective if you have witnesses stating you were not at the crime scene.

Another strong defense is that you acted in self-defense. This defense would involve proving beyond a reasonable doubt that the deceased was the aggressor and you defended yourself from harm.

Suppose you are in a bar and a drunk patron bumps into you and they spill their drink. They attack you, and you fight back to defend yourself, but they fall, hit their head, and pass away. Your attorney may rely on eyewitnesses to prove that you were not the aggressor and that the person’s death isn’t manslaughter.

“It’s not my job to judge my clients, it’s my job to ensure their constitutional rights are protected and to provide them with a fair and just defense.”

David A. Mendoza

David A. Mendoza

Contact Our San Marcos Manslaughter Lawyer Today

If you were charged with manslaughter in Texas, you face years in prison and life that will never be the same. It’s critical to fight this charge immediately with the help of a manslaughter lawyer in San Marcos, Tx now, so contact us today for legal assistance.