Pittsburgh Homicide Lawyer

Homicide Attorney in Pittsburgh

Being charged with a homicide offense is one of the most serious cases you can face. Conviction can change your entire future, potentially leading to several years or even life in prison. The most severe offenses carry the potential for the death penalty. You must work with a Pittsburgh homicide lawyer who understands these complex charges and knows how to create a strong and effective defense to protect your rights.

Louis W. Emmi Attorney at Law: Your Dedicated Pittsburgh Homicide Attorney

There are few criminal cases as serious as homicide offenses. You want to work with a legal team that can give you the defense and support you need. The attorneys with Louis W. Emmi Attorney at Law have decades of experience, and we are a litigation firm dedicated to working for your interests. Our team creates a cooperative strategy that meets your unique needs, working towards an outcome that reduces or avoids the consequences of conviction.

Our lead attorney, Louis W. Emmi, has over 40 years of experience and significant professional experience defending clients throughout Pennsylvania. He is also AV preeminent peer-review rated through Martindale-Hubbell. When you need an effective defense from communicative and exceptional defense attorneys, our firm can give you the guidance you need.

Homicide Offenses in Pittsburgh

Criminal homicide in Pennsylvania is defined as causing the death of another human being, and doing so either:

• Intentionally
• Knowingly
• Recklessly
• Negligently

There are three offenses that are considered criminal homicide: murder, voluntary manslaughter, and involuntary manslaughter. In some cases, causing suicide is also charged as criminal homicide, but only when under duress, force, or deception.

Murder and manslaughter offenses have increased 76.9% in Pennsylvania from 2013 to 2022. These offenses include:

• First-degree murder. This is the offense of intentionally killing another person.
• Second-degree murder. This offense is charged when someone is committing a felony or is an accomplice in committing a felony, and kills another person in the process of committing the offense.
• Third-degree murder. Any other type of murder is considered third-degree murder.
• Voluntary manslaughter. This offense occurs when the killing occurred without legal justification, but occurred because of provocation by the person who was killed. It can also involve provocation by another party who was the intended victim, but another party was killed through negligence or accident.
• Involuntary manslaughter. This is the offense in Pennsylvania of directly causing the death of another person while either committing an illegal act recklessly or while grossly negligent, or engaging in a legal act in a reckless or grossly negligent way. In the U.S., negligent manslaughter offenses involved motor vehicles in 48.9% of offenses and firearms in 15.3% of offenses from 2015 to 2024.

In Allegheny County in 2024, there were 135 offenses for murder and non-negligent manslaughter, as well as 20 offenses for negligent manslaughter.

What Are the Penalties for Homicide Offenses?

Pennsylvania imposes some of the most serious criminal penalties for murder and other homicide offenses. These serious potential penalties can include:

• First- and second-degree murder can lead to life in prison, with the potential for the death penalty in certain first-degree murder cases.
• Third-degree murder and voluntary manslaughter offenses are first-degree felonies, which carry up to $25,000 in fines and up to 40 years of imprisonment.
• Involuntary manslaughter of a child under 12 by a person charged with their care or custody is a second-degree felony, leading to up to 10 years of imprisonment and up to $25,000 in fines.
• Involuntary manslaughter in all other cases is a first-degree misdemeanor, with the potential of up to five years in prison and fines up to $10,000.

In Pittsburgh, these offenses are likely to be charged through the Fifth Judicial District of Pennsylvania, Department of the Criminal Division. There were 8,876 new criminal cases filed in Allegheny County courts in 2024, and 16,245 cases were available for processing. Of the cases processed, 63% resolved with a guilty plea.

It is crucial that you hire a criminal defense attorney to protect your interests and your future. There are options to defend against these charges and secure a better outcome, but you need a skilled defense for that.

FAQs

What Are Effective Defenses Against Murder Charges in Pennsylvania?

Effective defenses against murder charges in Pennsylvania can vary from one case to the next, depending on the unique facts of the case. Some of the most common defenses in murder cases include mistake or accident, alibi or other evidence of innocence, and mistaken identity. It is also important to note that Pennsylvania is a Stand Your Ground state, meaning individuals do not have a duty to retreat before using force for self-protection.

What Crimes Qualify for the Death Penalty in Pennsylvania?

First-degree murder in Pennsylvania carries the potential for the death penalty. Conviction of this offense could, however, result in a life term in prison instead. After a verdict for first-degree murder, the court discharges the jury and has a new jury hearing to determine whether the sentence is life in prison or the death sentence. The jury is instructed to assess mitigating and aggravating factors in the offense.

How Long Does Pennsylvania Have to Charge You With a Crime?

The time limit that a prosecutor has to charge you with a crime in Pennsylvania depends on the criminal offense you are being charged with. Offenses like murder and voluntary manslaughter have no limitation. The prosecution has 12 years to charge someone with a major sexual offense. Other major offenses have deadlines of five years. The majority of crimes have a deadline of two years, unless an alternate deadline is allowed.

What Felonies Cannot Be Expunged in Pennsylvania?

Most felonies cannot be expunged in Pennsylvania. The state allows for the expungement of a criminal record for arrests that never led to dispositions, for convictions of summary offenses, and other unique circumstances. Generally, you must apply for expungement of your records in these cases. A record could also be expunged through a pardon.

Hire a Homicide Lawyer in Pittsburgh

When you hire a homicide lawyer, you must find a seasoned and skilled defense attorney. At Louis W. Emmi Attorney at Law, our team can bring you the legal support and defense you need to safeguard your future. Reach out to our attorneys today and schedule a free consultation.