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Murder & Homicide

Murder, manslaughter, and negligent homicide are serious criminal charges. In the State of Arizona, you can be charged with murder, manslaughter, or negligent homicide if you are suspected to be involved in the death of another person. These charges are some of the most severe you can face in criminal court. In some cases, the penalties for conviction may be so severe that your life literally hangs in the balance. If you’ve been charged with murder, manslaughter, or homicide in Arizona, call the Attorney’s at Tait & Hall for experienced legal defense.

Click Here to receive a consultation from the Attorney’s at Tait & Hall. 

Murder & Homicide Overview

Arizona prosecutes murders of two degrees: first-degree murder and second-degree murder. Additionally, murder charges may result from deaths occurring during the commission of other felony crimes.

First-Degree Murder ARS §13-1105. First-degree murder charges are filed against those suspected of taking the life of another person knowingly, and with deliberate intent. First-degree murder charges are the most-serious murder charges you can face. These charges carry some of the most severe penalties possible under Arizona law, including lengthy prison sentences (up to life without the possibility of parole) and the death penalty. If you’re facing first-degree murder charges, you can expect to face the full power of the state.

Second-Degree Murder ARS §13-1104. Those suspected of murdering without premeditation may be accused of second-degree murder. Second-degree murders are intentional murders but lack pre-planning and forethought. Crimes committed out of passion or in ‘the heat of the moment’ are often prosecuted as second-degree murders.

Felony Murder ARS §13-1105. A felony murder is a spontaneous murder occurring during the commission of another felony crime. Deaths resulting from violent crimes and other criminal acts may be prosecuted as felony murders. Regardless of intent, the alleged perpetrator and anyone suspected to be involved in the planning or commission of the act may be charged with felony murder – a first-degree murder charge with associated consequences.

Negligent Homicide ARS §13-1102. Arizona may pursue negligent homicide charges in cases where a death is suspected to have occurred due to the negligence or carelessness of another person. Negligent homicides are deaths caused by the unsafe behavior of someone in an instance where safe behavior would likely have kept them alive. Carelessness may not be criminal in intent and accidents can happen in an instant. The law will still seek to punish you. If you’ve been charged with negligent homicide you are facing serious penalties for conviction.

Manslaughter Charges ARS §13-1103. Manslaughter charges can be filed in many different cases in which a death occurred. These include:

  • Reckless behavior which causes death, including while driving.
  • Death of an unborn infant through injury inflicted on the mother.
  • Other unintentional deaths.

Murders, homicides, and manslaughter charges can all be complicated by additional aggravating factors, witness testimony, assaults on your character, and harsh pretrial release and bail statutes. Team up with experienced Phoenix homicide lawyer’s at Tait & Hall.

The penalties for murder, homicide, and manslaughter vary greatly. The case circumstances, defendant history, aggravating factors and much more are included in determining sentence severity. Typically, sentences reflect the following:

Murder in the First Degree

Those convicted of first-degree murder face the death penalty or life imprisonment.

Murder in the Second Degree

A second-degree murder charge, while less severe, retains severe punishments for the convicted. Those facing second-degree murder charges face 10-25 years in prison and up to 15-30 years if they have a prior conviction for murder or a class 2 or 3 dangerous offense.

Felony Murder Convictions

Felony murders are typically prosecuted as first-degree murders in Arizona. This means felony murder are generally subject to the same sentences as those convicted of first-degree murder, including up to life imprisonment or the death penalty.

Negligent Homicide Sentences

Carelessness can be costly. Those found guilty of negligent homicide without prior convictions or other aggravators or sentencing enhancements face a term of up to 3.75 years in prison.

Sentences for Manslaughter

Deaths caused by manslaughter may have many different aggravating and mitigating circumstances to weigh in court. In general, sentences first-time offenders convicted of manslaughter can fall anywhere between 3 and 12.5 years in prison.

Those convicted of murder, negligent homicide, or manslaughter in Arizona face additional penalties beyond jail or prison time. In many cases, a conviction can lead to expensive civil lawsuits. Court costs, fines, probation and parole, and restitution payments all serve to complicate your life post-conviction. If you’ve been accused of murder or are suspected to be involved in any way in the death of another person, you need a lawyer who knows how to defend you. The penalties for conviction can cripple you or end your life.

An accusation of murder or homicide can put everything on the line. The news is rife with stories of innocent people incarcerated for crimes they did not commit. If you’ve been accused of murder, homicide, or are facing manslaughter charges you need a lawyer who can handle the weight of your case.

Murder cases can be lengthy, difficult, and may attract significant media attention. Don’t face murder or homicide charges alone. The Attorney’s at Tait & Hall has experience defending against murder charges in Arizona, from successfully convincing prosecutors to not seek the death penalty against her clients, to trying a high-profile, nationally-televised murder trial. When you retain the Law Office of Tait & Hall, you get a network of expert witnesses, forensic specialists, and mitigation specialists to form your best and total defense strategy.





-Testimonials-

"I am not exaggerating when I say that choosing to hire Ryan Tait as my attorney has had a greater impact in changing the course of my life for the better than any other decision I have ever made. I retained him as my attorney during the most stressful time of my entire life--I was being investigated by law enforcement for something that had the potential for life altering consequences. Law enforcement had severe and damning evidence against me and I was absolutely terrified that I was going to lose everything. Ryan got involved and was incredibly aggressive in working with law enforcement to resolve the matter. He was able to get ALL charges dropped which was something I didn't think would ever be possible. Before hiring Ryan I had consulted with a different attorney who suggested that my best possible option was to plea to some pretty serious offenses-I was devastated at that news and continued my search for an attorney who wouldn't give up--that's when I found Ryan. I am so glad that I didn't listen to the other attorney and instead invested in hiring Ryan as my attorney. He was so easy to talk to and was compassionate and totally nonjudgmental. He believed in me and was confident and passionate about fighting for me. At the end of the whole ordeal I was told by an individual from law enforcement that I was incredibly lucky that I had such a good attorney--I believe this to be true and it is obvious that he is well known and respected and/or feared by law enforcement. If you are reading this review because you are searching for an attorney, I can say with confidence that you will not regret choosing to hire Ryan Tait."

Allison

Five star reviews Criminal Law & DUI
5
2019-06-24T13:49:45-07:00

Allison

"I am not exaggerating when I say that choosing to hire Ryan Tait as my attorney has had a greater impact in changing the course of my life for the better than any other decision I have ever made. I retained him as my attorney during the most stressful time of my entire life--I was being investigated by law enforcement for something that had the potential for life altering consequences. Law enforcement had severe and damning evidence against me and I was absolutely terrified that I was going to lose everything. Ryan got involved and was incredibly aggressive in working with law enforcement to resolve the matter. He was able to get ALL charges dropped which was something I didn't think would ever be possible. Before hiring Ryan I had consulted with a different attorney who suggested that my best possible option was to plea to some pretty serious offenses-I was devastated at that news and continued my search for an attorney who wouldn't give up--that's when I found Ryan. I am so glad that I didn't listen to the other attorney and instead invested in hiring Ryan as my attorney. He was so easy to talk to and was compassionate and totally nonjudgmental. He believed in me and was confident and passionate about fighting for me. At the end of the whole ordeal I was told by an individual from law enforcement that I was incredibly lucky that I had such a good attorney--I believe this to be true and it is obvious that he is well known and respected and/or feared by law enforcement. If you are reading this review because you are searching for an attorney, I can say with confidence that you will not regret choosing to hire Ryan Tait."

"I will highly recommend Ryan to any one, personally i can say he is one of the best lawyers in AZ, he does his best to get the job done. He always demonstrated confidence which gave us peace of mind. He treats his clients with respect and he knows how to listen. Ryan did an excellent job in our case he persevered until the end. If you are looking for a lawyer that gets the job done and always willing to tell you the truth get Ryan."

Laura

Five star reviews Criminal Law & DUI
5
2019-06-24T13:52:39-07:00

Laura

"I will highly recommend Ryan to any one, personally i can say he is one of the best lawyers in AZ, he does his best to get the job done. He always demonstrated confidence which gave us peace of mind. He treats his clients with respect and he knows how to listen. Ryan did an excellent job in our case he persevered until the end. If you are looking for a lawyer that gets the job done and always willing to tell you the truth get Ryan."

"Arthur Hall used to be a former prosecutor before becoming a defense attorney. As soon as I learned that he was a prosecutor, I felt that I had an advantage not many other do. I feel that his past experience gave him knowledge of the law, but also a lot of confidence and rapport with the people who had the case against me and the judges. It was nice to feel confident in someone who had my freedom in his hands. He was aggressive with his negotiations because he knew based on my case and his prosecutorial experience what the best deal was that he could get. I highly recommend AJ to defend you."

A Satisfied Client

Five star reviews Criminal Law & DUI
5
2019-06-24T13:53:17-07:00

A Satisfied Client

"Arthur Hall used to be a former prosecutor before becoming a defense attorney. As soon as I learned that he was a prosecutor, I felt that I had an advantage not many other do. I feel that his past experience gave him knowledge of the law, but also a lot of confidence and rapport with the people who had the case against me and the judges. It was nice to feel confident in someone who had my freedom in his hands. He was aggressive with his negotiations because he knew based on my case and his prosecutorial experience what the best deal was that he could get. I highly recommend AJ to defend you."

"I was charged with an Aggravated Assault based on a mistaken identification. It was terrifying dealing with the possibility of going to prison for something I didn’t do! The prosecutor refused to dismiss my case for a long time, but Ryan never gave up. He kept fighting with the prosecutor until eventually my case was dismissed and I was finally able to go back to living my life! I would totally recommend Ryan to anyone who is innocent of their charges."

A.G. Phoenix, AZ

Five star reviews Criminal Law & DUI
5
2019-06-24T13:54:02-07:00

A.G. Phoenix, AZ

"I was charged with an Aggravated Assault based on a mistaken identification. It was terrifying dealing with the possibility of going to prison for something I didn’t do! The prosecutor refused to dismiss my case for a long time, but Ryan never gave up. He kept fighting with the prosecutor until eventually my case was dismissed and I was finally able to go back to living my life! I would totally recommend Ryan to anyone who is innocent of their charges."

"My nephew was in the wrong place at the wrong time and ended up being charged with several serious felonies. He was facing no less than 40 years in prison! Our entire family was shocked when we found out how harsh Arizona’s laws are for people who make innocent mistakes. My nephew was such a good kid who did not deserve to be locked up for most of his life. Ryan not only answered all of our questions and helped us through the case, but truly cared about our family and my nephew. The State offered him a plea to 13-17 years. Ryan outlined all the pros and cons of going to trial, which is what my nephew did. After 3 weeks of trial, with all of us sitting on pins and needles, Ryan convinced the jury to come back not guilty on all of the most serious charges and my nephew ended up only serving a year! Our family will forever be grateful for Ryan’s passionate and caring representation." 

K.E. Phoenix, AZ

Five star reviews Criminal Law & DUI
5
2019-06-24T13:54:51-07:00

K.E. Phoenix, AZ

"My nephew was in the wrong place at the wrong time and ended up being charged with several serious felonies. He was facing no less than 40 years in prison! Our entire family was shocked when we found out how harsh Arizona’s laws are for people who make innocent mistakes. My nephew was such a good kid who did not deserve to be locked up for most of his life. Ryan not only answered all of our questions and helped us through the case, but truly cared about our family and my nephew. The State offered him a plea to 13-17 years. Ryan outlined all the pros and cons of going to trial, which is what my nephew did. After 3 weeks of trial, with all of us sitting on pins and needles, Ryan convinced the jury to come back not guilty on all of the most serious charges and my nephew ended up only serving a year! Our family will forever be grateful for Ryan’s passionate and caring representation." 

"When time is against you in the worst possible way, you find yourself wishing two things:

  1. Wishing you knew a criminal Attorney before you got in trouble.

  2. Wishing your best friend was a criminal Attorney


That’s where Arthur comes into play.. Expect the same representation from start to finish as if your life long best friend was standing next to you fighting for the best possible achievable outcome.

The ending result will provide two additional life long benefits

  1. You have a new best friend

  2. If you ever find yourself in a bad spot again… Your best friend is a criminal defense Attorney."


 

A Satisfied Client

Five star reviews Criminal Law & DUI
5
2019-06-24T13:56:04-07:00

A Satisfied Client

"When time is against you in the worst possible way, you find yourself wishing two things: Wishing you knew a criminal Attorney before you got in trouble. Wishing your best friend was a criminal Attorney That’s where Arthur comes into play.. Expect the same representation from start to finish as if your life long best friend was standing next to you fighting for the best possible achievable outcome. The ending result will provide two additional life long benefits You have a new best friend If you ever find yourself in a bad spot again… Your best friend is a criminal defense Attorney."  

"AJ Hall was INCREDIBLE from the minute I called him and told him my situation until the very last court date where he got me an incredible deal… More than I could have ever hoped for. AJ took on my case and made me feel comfortable right away and never made me promises he couldn’t keep. He guided me and never mislead me even good news or not. Throughout my whole very long ordeal he was so professional, informative, compassionate, and fought so hard to get me what I needed!! Although the battle was rough he never gave up and was willing to do whatever I wanted, take it as far as I wanted to get the outcome I wanted/needed! And I can’t be more thankful. He went to court so many times for me to fight my battle and to get me the best possible outcome and he did!!! The very last court date when it seemed the outcome on everything would be great except for 1 thing my worst fear jail time me having to leave my children and go there (I even had a date picked to check in) he got it over turned and save me from it and for that I am forever grateful. He handles everything with care and compassion. I highly recommend him!! Thank You Thank You Thank You!!!!"

Michelle

Five star reviews Criminal Law & DUI
5
2019-06-24T13:57:46-07:00

Michelle

"AJ Hall was INCREDIBLE from the minute I called him and told him my situation until the very last court date where he got me an incredible deal… More than I could have ever hoped for. AJ took on my case and made me feel comfortable right away and never made me promises he couldn’t keep. He guided me and never mislead me even good news or not. Throughout my whole very long ordeal he was so professional, informative, compassionate, and fought so hard to get me what I needed!! Although the battle was rough he never gave up and was willing to do whatever I wanted, take it as far as I wanted to get the outcome I wanted/needed! And I can’t be more thankful. He went to court so many times for me to fight my battle and to get me the best possible outcome and he did!!! The very last court date when it seemed the outcome on everything would be great except for 1 thing my worst fear jail time me having to leave my children and go there (I even had a date picked to check in) he got it over turned and save me from it and for that I am forever grateful. He handles everything with care and compassion. I highly recommend him!! Thank You Thank You Thank You!!!!"

"I hired this lawyer to take on my case that didn't look like it was a winning case he won my case for me and I'm a free woman today to be able to speak of it. "

Aaronessa

Five star reviews Criminal Law & DUI
5
2019-06-24T13:58:26-07:00

Aaronessa

"I hired this lawyer to take on my case that didn't look like it was a winning case he won my case for me and I'm a free woman today to be able to speak of it. "

"We would like to write a review for Ryan Tait as we are extremely pleased with his very professional representation on our family case. Thank for always keeping us informed . We would definitely recommend him as he has all of the necessary knowledge and experience to be an outstanding legal adviser. Thank you for always. "

Heidi

Five star reviews Criminal Law & DUI
5
2019-06-24T13:59:01-07:00

Heidi

"We would like to write a review for Ryan Tait as we are extremely pleased with his very professional representation on our family case. Thank for always keeping us informed . We would definitely recommend him as he has all of the necessary knowledge and experience to be an outstanding legal adviser. Thank you for always. "

"We were referred to Tait & Hall through friends. We are so happy we chose this legal team to represent my son, as well as, helping us through the process of legal action. Their defense knowledge and experience put us at ease. We worked with Mr. Tait...who was very confident, yet realistic. I plan to refer anyone in the issues we faced to use Tait & Hall."

 

 

A Satisfied Client

Five star reviews Criminal Law & DUI
5
2019-06-24T13:59:40-07:00

A Satisfied Client

"We were referred to Tait & Hall through friends. We are so happy we chose this legal team to represent my son, as well as, helping us through the process of legal action. Their defense knowledge and experience put us at ease. We worked with Mr. Tait...who was very confident, yet realistic. I plan to refer anyone in the issues we faced to use Tait & Hall."    

"Ryan Tait did an excellent job for our family. Ryan was very cordial and professional. He answered every single phone call of mine and took all the time I needed to talk about our case. Ryan called me exactly when he said he would call and he would have all the information he said he would have for me. We are very satisfied with Mr. Tait and his fine associate Mr. A.J. Hall. The outcome of our case was far better than we expected. We would highly recommend Ryan Tait to anyone who needs a very competent and aggressive attorney."

Frank

Five star reviews Criminal Law & DUI
5
2019-06-24T14:00:16-07:00

Frank

"Ryan Tait did an excellent job for our family. Ryan was very cordial and professional. He answered every single phone call of mine and took all the time I needed to talk about our case. Ryan called me exactly when he said he would call and he would have all the information he said he would have for me. We are very satisfied with Mr. Tait and his fine associate Mr. A.J. Hall. The outcome of our case was far better than we expected. We would highly recommend Ryan Tait to anyone who needs a very competent and aggressive attorney."

My family hired Ryan Tait to fight for my family member. Ryan was very confident in our case. He went over all the pros and cons. He answered all our questions and calls. He knows what he is doing. Ryan has knowledge on both sides as a prosecutor and defense as well. Ryan has a lot of patience. The first attorney want a year in prison and Ryan at the was recommending no prison only time served. When the case was near the end. There was only probation that was going to be offered. Thank you so much Tait and Hall for all your hard work and time including your staff. May God Bless your firm abundantly and always watch over your firm.

C Such

Five star reviews Criminal Law & DUI
5
2019-09-28T23:11:35-07:00

C Such

My family hired Ryan Tait to fight for my family member. Ryan was very confident in our case. He went over all the pros and cons. He answered all our questions and calls. He knows what he is doing. Ryan has knowledge on both sides as a prosecutor and defense as well. Ryan has a lot of patience. The first attorney want a year in prison and Ryan at the was recommending no prison only time served. When the case was near the end. There was only probation that was going to be offered. Thank you so much Tait and Hall for all your hard work and time including your staff. May God Bless your firm abundantly and always watch over your firm.

Absolutely The Best Lawyers in the Valley, I've used them for multiple things over the years and they always come through. No one in this field is more trustworthy than Ryan and AJ

Nick Knudsen

Five star reviews Criminal Law & DUI
5
2019-09-28T23:14:28-07:00

Nick Knudsen

Absolutely The Best Lawyers in the Valley, I've used them for multiple things over the years and they always come through. No one in this field is more trustworthy than Ryan and AJ

Ryan is absolutely awesome and professional. He gave me all detailed advice I needed. He is nice and patient. I definitely recommend Ryan and his law firm! Thank you Ryan!

Qian Chen

Five star reviews Criminal Law & DUI
5
2019-09-28T23:15:50-07:00

Qian Chen

Ryan is absolutely awesome and professional. He gave me all detailed advice I needed. He is nice and patient. I definitely recommend Ryan and his law firm! Thank you Ryan!

I hired Tait & Hall to fight a case for me, and they won my case without me ever having to go to court. I'm happy I hired them, I would highly recommend Tait & Hall.

Angela Agramonte

Five star reviews Criminal Law & DUI
5
2019-09-28T23:20:43-07:00

Angela Agramonte

I hired Tait & Hall to fight a case for me, and they won my case without me ever having to go to court. I'm happy I hired them, I would highly recommend Tait & Hall.

This morning I met with AJ Hall and I felt very comfortable and confident with the consultation I received. Extremely knowledgeable advice and legal coucel and I highly recommend Tait & Hall and their legal team. Thank you!

Sidney Lang

Five star reviews Criminal Law & DUI
5
2019-09-28T23:23:31-07:00

Sidney Lang

This morning I met with AJ Hall and I felt very comfortable and confident with the consultation I received. Extremely knowledgeable advice and legal coucel and I highly recommend Tait & Hall and their legal team. Thank you!
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Five star reviews Criminal Law & DUI

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