Murder has various forms under Michigan law. There are degrees of murder including 1st degree and felony murder as the highest, 2nd degree murder, voluntary manslaughter and even involuntary manslaughter.
The theory under which a murder is charged is often overlooked the murder attorney in building a defense. It is important to carefully scrutinize the document called an 'information' that sets forth the allegations in a case. The prosecution is obligated to allege enough facts to put the accused citizen on notice of what he will need to defend against. A homicide lawyer should stay updated on the legal developments in Michigan law concerning the manner in which 1st degree murder can be proved. 1st degree murder is the most serious form of murder and carries mandatory life in prison - parole is not an option. That is one reason why it is critical to examine the theory of the prosecution in its written documents charging the case as well as what the facts are likely to prove.
In other words, will the the prosecutor be able to prove the sort of premeditated act that is required to prove 1st degree murder? Or, will the facts at trial more likely prove a temporary provocation, such as a husband discovering his wife in bed with another man, which would reduce the degree of murder to 2nd degree. 2nd degree murder can lead to a life sentence but without an aggravating factor in the person's background, usually leads to a prison term with the possibility of parole.
Mike Nichols of East Lansing is an experienced Lansing homicide lawyer and has handled many murder cases. He is also an expert in forensic evidence. Michigan murder attorney Mike Nichols handled the infamous Ricky Holland murder case, serving as co-counsel for Lisa Holland and playing the role as the attorney to debunk much of the so-called forensic evidence and excluding substantial portions of the prosecution's case.