Atlanta Murder Attorney

Murder is among the most serious criminal charges a person could face. Depending on the circumstances, conviction could mean a lifetime prison sentence, or even the death penalty. If you are facing murder charges, contact Wallack Law in Atlanta, GA today for the aggressive criminal defense you need. We are passionate about protecting your constitutional rights.

Why Choose Our Firm?

• The focus and passion of our practice is criminal defense. We provide personalized attention and an innovative, out-of-the-box approach to each case.
• Our firm has been established for 15 years and our founding attorney has 25 years of criminal defense experience.
• Attorney Sandy Wallack will educate you on your options and work hard to offer you the best options available. You can rely on him to be honest and frank in his counseling.

What Is Murder?

Murder is intentional or premeditated homicide. As stated in 18 U.S.C. Section 1111, murder is “the unlawful killing of a human being with malice aforethought.” There are different types and degrees of murder. First degree murder involves poison, lying in wait, or any other deliberate, willful, malicious, and premeditated killing. First-degree murder is charged when a person is killed in perpetration or attempt to perpetrate any of the following crimes:

• Arson
• Escape
• Murder
• Kidnapping
• Treason
• Espionage
• Sabotage
• Aggravated sexual abuse
• Sexual abuse
• Child abuse
• Burglary
• Robbery

or the crime is perpetrated as part of a pattern or practice of assault or torture against a child; or perpetrated from a premeditated design to unlawfully and maliciously effect the death of any human being other than the person who was killed.

From Sandy’s interview for the Masters of Criminal Defense series on ReelLawyers.com.

What Must the State Prove in a Felony Murder Charge?

Under Georgia law, a person commits felony murder if he or she causes the death of another person in the commission of a felony, irrespective of malice. For you to be convicted of felony murder in Georgia, the prosecution must prove that you are guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This includes showing that you attempted or completed a felony that is deemed inherently dangerous or serious under state law. The state must show that all elements are present for commission of the underlying felony.

Possible Defenses to Felony Murder

Each murder case is unique and will have its own defenses. Generally, possible defenses to felony murder include:

• Alibi or witness testimony: An alibi or witness testimony that you were not at the scene of the crime is invaluable to your case.
• Self-defense or necessity: An event occurred that left you no other choice than to kill a person.
• The underlying crime was not a felony: Your attorney can seek a lesser charge if the crime underlying the death was not an inherently dangerous felony.
• Insufficient evidence to support a conviction: To sustain a felony murder conviction, the prosecution must have evidence to establish the elements of the underlying felony.
• Death was not a foreseeable result: If the underlying crime was not one for which death could be reasonably seen as a result, your attorney can argue for your charges to be reduced.

From Sandy’s interview for the Masters of Criminal Defense series on ReelLawyers.com.

Connect with Wallack Law

If you have been accused of murder in Georgia, you are facing serious penalties, possibly as severe as life imprisonment or death. Call Wallack Law in Atlanta today to get an experienced criminal defense lawyer on your side.