Delaware Homicide Attorneys

The most serious criminal offenses result in the loss of someone’s life. If you face a murder, manslaughter, or vehicular homicide charge in Delaware, retain the services of a Delaware homicide lawyer immediately. Call Abram, Gulab & Hutchison at 302-405-7010.

For homicide investigators in Delaware, determining which homicide charge to file can be challenging. Homicide charges in Delaware include:

1. First-degree murder, the intentional killing of a person, is punishable on conviction by life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Delaware’s death penalty was fully repealed in 2024.
2. Second-degree murder is a Class A felony punishable on conviction with a prison term of 15 years to life without parole for adults and a minimum of 15 years for juveniles.
3. Manslaughter is a Class B Felony, punishable on conviction with a minimum mandatory 2-year prison sentence and a maximum sentence of up to 25 years.
4. Criminally negligent homicide is a Class E Felony, punishable on conviction with up to 5 years in prison.
5. Vehicular homicide, when someone’s death is caused by criminally negligent driving, may be charged in the first degree (as a Class E felony when a driver was impaired by drugs or alcohol) or second degree (as a Class F felony for negligent driving).

What Are Your Rights as a Homicide Defendant?

If you are under investigation for a homicide or if you’ve already been charged for a homicide offense, your Delaware homicide attorney must be present when the police question you or when you participate in a police lineup.

The police use several strategies when they question homicide suspects, but you must exercise your right to remain silent. You can simply say, “I prefer to have my lawyer present before answering any questions,” and then remain silent.

How Will Abram, Gulab & Hutchison Handle Your Case?

A Delaware homicide lawyer at Abram, Gulab & Hutchison will help you by:

1. Filing motions with the court to suppress evidence or dismiss the case.
2. Negotiating with the prosecutor for a reduced charge or an acceptable plea deal.
3. Gathering and examining the evidence and questioning any witnesses.
4. Keeping you informed as the case develops.

Your Delaware homicide attorney will provide the legal advice you need and investigate your case to determine the truth about what actually happened.

Will Your Homicide Case Go to Trial?

Most homicide cases in Delaware are resolved without a trial. But if the charge can’t be dropped by the prosecutor or dismissed by the court, and if you maintain your innocence and refuse to negotiate a plea deal, the case will go to trial.

Your lawyer will explain to the jury what happened, cast doubt on the state’s evidence, and ask the jury to find you not guilty. Your attorney will prepare a defense based on the specifics of your case, but generally speaking, the defenses offered against homicide charges include:

1. You acted in self-defense or the defense of another.
2. Your action did not cause the victim’s death.
3. Someone else committed the homicide, and you’ve been falsely accused.

What Else Should You Know About Homicides in Delaware?

If the case against you is persuasive and your conviction is inevitable, your lawyer may negotiate a plea deal that would allow reduced or alternative sentencing. Do not consider negotiating with the prosecutor on your own.

Let your attorney do the negotiating on your behalf, and heed your lawyer’s advice. The criminal defense lawyers at Abram, Gulab & Hutchison have successfully handled scores of homicide cases, and they know how to win the justice a homicide defendant needs.

This can’t be stressed strongly enough: If you face a homicide charge in Delaware, contact Abram, Gulab & Hutchison immediately. Call our Georgetown law offices at 302-405-7010 to schedule a free consultation.