Charged with Manslaughter in Solano County

Vallejo, CA Violent Crimes Lawyers

A criminal accusation of manslaughter is a very serious legal situation, and your freedom is at risk. If you or someone you love is accused of committing manslaughter, it is crucial to retain our Solano County violent crime attorneys from Maas and Russo immediately. We will move into action for you at once. The first issue to address is to fully analyze the evidence that led to your arrest. As advocates for the rights of the criminally accused, we seek out any rights violations that you may suffered during your interaction with the police or any investigators.

It is not uncommon for law enforcement to overstep the bounds of the law in an effort to make an arrest. In some cases of manslaughter, there has been a very unfortunate occurrence in which a person is violently attacked in a physical altercation, and had little choice other than to defend against it, and subsequently the attacker died. In many cases, the person on the ground is considered the victim, whether that person instigated the assault. We are interested in what happened, from your point of view.

Three Types of Manslaughter Charges and Penalties

The three possible types of manslaughter charges each carry different penalties. Voluntary manslaughter has a possible penalty of 3, 6 or 11 years in state prison, and a $10,000 fine. Not only is this a very heavy penalty, this is a "three strike" offense. If you have a prior criminal record, you could face heavier penalties, as high as 25 to life. Voluntary manslaughter is the charge filed when it is believed that you unlawfully killed another person, without malice, such as in the heat of a sudden quarrel or in the heat of passion. The firm can review your situation and advise you of the potential defenses that could be employed in your case. We will work hard to protect you.

Involuntary manslaughter is a lesser charge, and is when a criminal act in which the death of another person is the result of reckless behavior, or during the commission of another crime in which there was no intent to kill. The average sentence imposed upon a person for this crime can be as long as 3 years in state prison. You will also lose your right to hold a professional license, and will owe fines as high as $10,000, and will no longer be able to carry a firearm.

Vehicular manslaughter is the charge filed against a DUI driver that has caused an accident that killed another person or persons. It can also be filed against a person who was speeding, racing or driving in a criminally negligent manner, and a death occurred as a result. The penalties can include $10,000 in fines, 4 years in prison, and if there was another person injured who survived, but suffered severe bodily injury, the accused can get added years on the sentence.

At our firm, we are committed to fighting for the rights and freedom of our clients, in every case. We like to win, and do the hard work and long hours of case development needed to craft a compelling case for the defense. If you reasonably believed that in order to prevent your own death, or the death of another person, you may have a successful case of self-defense. In cases of vehicular manslaughter, a full evaluation of the accident must be done. There could be other reasons why the accident took place.