Murder Lawyer

Name: Hopkins Law Criminal Lawyers
Address: Suite 101, 11051 - 97 St., Edmonton, AB, T5H 2N2
Telephone: 587-414-6851

Murder Lawyer for Edmonton & area

Manslaughter & All Related Criminal Charges – Edmonton Murder Lawyer

We have decades of experience defending people charged with murder in Edmonton.

It is imperative that you consult with an experienced Edmonton murder lawyer ASAP when you are at risk of being charged with murder or manslaughter. You can call Hopkins Law 24 hours, seven days a week for immediate legal advice 587-414-6851.

At Hopkins Law, we believe that a person charged with murder has the right to a properly funded defence regardless of the ability to pay, and we will help to make sure that you are covered.

Remember, anything you tell a lawyer while seeking legal advice is strictly confidential and protected by the law of privilege. Nothing you tell a lawyer in private, and in the context of seeking legal advice, can be used against you. This right is sedulously protected by our courts. If you are charged with or being investigated for murder, call Hopkins Law. We will get to work right away building your defence.

Murder Lawyers – Edmonton & surrounding area
587-414-6851 *available 24/7
Murder – Manslaughter – Homicide
Edmonton Defence Lawyers
Hopkins Law – Criminal Lawyers
Edmonton: 11051 97 Street #101

hopkins criminal lawyers edmonton murder
murder lawyer edmonton - scales of justice

If you are facing a murder charge or being investigated for murder it is paramount to obtain confidential and competent legal counsel as soon as possible. This is not the sort of situation in which you want to wait to see whether you can afford the legal fees before contacting such a lawyer. Murder cases are tenaciously investigated and prosecuted. The sooner you have your defence lawyer in place, and your dealings with investigators managed, the better your chances of a favourable outcome. Hopkins Law will ensure that you have effective and early legal advice if you are charged with or being investigated for murder. It is important to remember that anything you say to ANYONE – police officer, family or friend – may be used as evidence against you in a criminal trial. It is imperative that you consult with an experienced Edmonton murder lawyer ASAP when you are at risk of being charged with murder or manslaughter. You can call Hopkins Law 24 hours, seven days a week for immediate legal advice 587-414-6851.

A person convicted of murder in Edmonton faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison with no eligibility for parole for anywhere between 10 and 25 years. Planned and deliberate murder has a mandatory sentence of life in prison with no eligibility for parole for 25 years. Moreover, convictions for multiple murders can result in parole ineligibility for 50 or more years! In other words, potentially a life sentence without parole.

Charged With Murder In Edmonton? – Legal Questions & Answers

Murder and manslaughter? What’s the difference?

edmonton murder lawyer - handshake attorney and client The Crown prosecutor must prove two things to prove murder: 1) that the accused has unlawfully killed another human being and 2) that he or she either had the intention to kill or the intention to cause grievous bodily harm and recklessness in respect of whether death would follow. Each of these two elements of the offence of murder must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. If the Crown is only able to prove the first of these two things, the appropriate conviction is for manslaughter and not murder. Things which may be said by an accused person in the early stages of a murder investigation often tilt the scales in favour of murder rather than manslaughter. This is one reason why it is imperative to have an experienced Edmonton murder lawyer ASAP in the case of a murder investigation. When a person is initially detained by the police in a murder investigation that person has the right to consult with a lawyer. It is critical, at this stage of an investigation, that you contact a competent Edmonton murder lawyer for advice. Don’t wait to hear what the investigators have to say. Don’t tell your side of the story before contacting a lawyer. Insist on contacting counsel immediately, and keep insisting until you’ve contacted a competent lawyer. Hopkins Law are just such lawyers. Insist on contacting Hopkins Law 587-414-6851. In the meantime, exercise your right to silence. Remember, you never have to give a statement to the police. You do not need to reply to an investigator’s questions, however persuasive they may seem. A seemingly innocent comment could be the difference between murder and manslaughter – or between murder and an acquittal!

What is the punishment if I am convicted of manslaughter rather than murder?

There is no mandatory minimum sentence for manslaughter – unlike murder, which has a mandatory sentence of life in prison. A person convicted of manslaughter can sometimes avoid a prison sentence altogether, although usually a manslaughter conviction leads to a penitentiary sentence. The closer a manslaughter comes to murder the greater the chances of a prison sentence in the double digits. Sometimes a conviction for manslaughter will result in a life sentence, though one with a shorter period of parole ineligibility than murder.

What is the difference between first and second-degree murder?

Second-degree murder involves killing a human being with the intention to kill or the intention to cause grievous bodily harm and recklessness about whether death will follow.

First-degree murder has two additional elements which must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt: planning and deliberation. To prove planning the Crown prosecutor does not need to prove a sophisticated plan – a simple plan is enough, so long as it was formulated before the act of homicide commenced. Also, an act may be found to be deliberate if it was not a hasty act which occurred on the sudden, but rather, one which was carefully thought out and consequences considered and weighed. Admissions or statements made by the accused in the course of an investigation will often be the source of evidence relied upon when proving planning and deliberation.

What about bail with murder charges?

Murder is the most serious offence in Canada’s Criminal Code. It is also an offence which is dealt with exclusively in the superior court. In Alberta, this is the Court of Queen’s Bench. Only a Justice of the Court of Queen’s Bench can release on bail someone who is charged with murder. Neither a Justice of the Peace nor a Provincial Court Judge has the power to grant release on murder charges. Crown prosecutors usually are opposed to release in cases of murder and it is difficult to convince a superior court justice that an accused should be released on bail. Even if an accused has no criminal record, even if there is no concern with the accused showing up for court or complying with the conditions of release, the Court may well deny release in order to protect the public’s confidence in the administration of justice.

Experienced counsel will try to put together a compelling release plan to discharge the burden, which lies with the accused, to prove that release is appropriate. Counsel must also become very familiar with the case against the accused to effectively address the issue of public confidence in the administration of justice. Addressing bail calls for the effective assistance of experienced, competent counsel familiar with the case and the circumstances of the accused.

If I am charged with murder in Edmonton, should I hire a Legal Aid lawyer?

murder attorney edmonton - crime scene fingerprint There really is no such thing as a legal aid lawyer in Edmonton. Most cases of murder are defended on a Legal Aid certificate – according to which the Legal Aid Society guarantees the lawyer’s fees on an established tariff. The cost of privately mounting an effective defence in a murder case is often simply too much for an accused person to cover – especially if they are in custody and unable to continue to earn income while awaiting trial. Experienced, competent murder lawyers are often prepared to accept a murder case on a Legal Aid certificate. Hopkins Law will defend murder charges on a Legal Aid retainer. We are also experienced in assisting an accused person obtain legal Aid coverage. We will assist an accused with an application to the Court for a direction that Legal Aid fund the defence (this is sometimes referred to as a Rowbotham application). You can call Hopkins Law 24 hours, seven days a week for immediate legal advice.

Author: Marshall Hopkins