When a person dies in Weld County and it is because of a risk that you did not perceive that you should have, then you can be charged with Criminally Negligent Homicide. In accidental deaths, the police and victims’ family want someone to be held accountable and if you are the responsible party, you will need a skilled attorney to fight for you. Below our attorneys discuss five facts about Criminally Negligent Homicide and how we can help you in your case.
#1 Colorado Definition of Criminally Negligent Homicide, C.R.S. 18-3-105
The definition, in Colorado, of Criminally Negligent Homicide, C.R.S. 18-3-105, is:
Any person who causes the death of another person by conduct amounting to criminal negligence commits criminally negligent homicide
This simply means that the defendant took a risk that resulted in a death and a reasonable person would have foreseen that the risk could result in death.
#2. Definition of Criminal Negligence, C.R.S. 18-1-501 (3), in Weld County Courts
In Weld County Courts and across Colorado, the definition of terms in a statute are important to understand. In C.R.S. 18-1-501, the definition of Criminal Negligence is:
A person acts with criminal negligence when, through a gross deviation from the standard of care that a reasonable person would exercise, he fails to perceive a substantial and unjustifiable risk that a result will occur or that a circumstance exists.
#3. Sentence and Penalties of Criminal Negligent Homicide in Greeley, Windsor, and Firestone, Colorado
The sentence for a Criminally Negligent Homicide conviction in Greeley, Windsor, and Firestone is a class 5 felony. The penalties for a class 5 felony are up to three years in a Colorado State Prison and a fine of up to $100,000.
#4 Difference Between Manslaughter and Criminally Negligent Homicide in Weld County
When a person’s actions are reckless and disregard risks, which results in a death, then Manslaughter would be charged Weld County. The distinct difference between it a Criminally Negligent Homicide is that the defendant did not recognize the perceived risks, whereas a defendant in Manslaughter disregarded the risks recklessly. Sometimes if a client is facing a Manslaughter charge, our attorneys can argue for the lesser charge of Negligent Homicide, which has less severe penalties.
#5 Why Hire a Greeley, Colorado Homicide Criminal Defense Attorney?
The attorneys at the O’Malley Law Office in Greeley, Colorado have over 30 years of experience in working with our clients to learn about their cases and fight for the best outcomes. It is the prosecutions burden to prove criminal negligence in a case. Facing significant prison time and a criminal record can have lasting impacts on your future and career, let our attorneys aggressively defend you.