You may never have anticipated having someone’s life come to an end as the result of a situation in which you were involved. In fact, you may never have considered yourself a violent person or even pictured yourself harming another individual. However, circumstances outside your control led to an altercation that had deadly outcomes.
Understandably, you may worry what this ordeal will mean for you. You may immensely regret the outcomes of the event, but you now face criminal charges and need to handle those as best as possible. Undoubtedly, you want to fight back against the allegations, and having information on the exact charge and your available defense options may be useful.
Manslaughter
Because of the details of the event, authorities did not charge you with murder. Instead, you face a charge of voluntary manslaughter under Maryland law. While this is still a serious charge, it is not as severe as similar allegations. Useful information regarding voluntary manslaughter charges includes the following:
- The death of another person resulted from the incident.
- The incident included some provocation from the other party, which means that the situation does not suit a first- or second-degree murder charge.
- Details surrounding the incident lessen the degree of guilt you may have in relation to the situation.
- If convicted, you could face up to 10 years in prison or two years in jail with a $500 fine.
While voluntary manslaughter does not come with as harsh a punishment as murder charges, you still do not want to have any type of negative repercussion come against you. As a result, you may want to fully assess your available defense options to determine which details could help you build a meaningful defense.
Having support
This type of dilemma is not one that you want to go through alone. Fortunately, you have the right to obtain legal counsel to help you with your case. An experienced attorney could explain the charges you face, why a voluntary manslaughter charge applied, what defense options may best work for you and what to expect from the legal proceedings ahead.
Your head may be reeling from the events that led to the charges, and the charges themselves. You may feel out of sorts and not know where to turn. Still, you do not have to feel out of hope, and putting your best foot forward may help you work toward favorable outcomes for your case.