Murder & Manslaughter

Murder & Manslaughter Criminal Defense Attorneys

No crime is more serious than a murder charge.  Every person charged with murder deserves dedicated and experienced representation and a fair trial.  If you have been charged with murder, contact the law office of O’Connor, Runckel & O’Malley today to review your case.

As former Deputy District Attorneys and a Superior Court Judge, with over 45 years of experience, Thomas O’Connor, Jason Runckel and Daniel O'Malley have extensive experience handling high-profile Special Circumstance Murders, First Degree Murders, Second Degree Murders, and Voluntary and Involuntary Manslaughter cases.  Few lawyers are able to handle the responsibility of defending persons charged with murder; the attorneys at O’Connor, Runckel & O’Malley will use their vast experience to help protect your freedom and your life.

The California Penal Code defines Murder as “the intentional killing of a person with ‘malice aforethought’ or premeditated thought and the intent of killing someone.”  Murder is separated into degrees.

First Degree Murder: is a murder which is willful, deliberate, and premeditated killing, or committed during the commission of certain felonies. 

Second Degree Murder:  Murder in the second degree is any murder not covered by any of the above categories or that does not involve special circumstances.

Voluntary Manslaughter is an intentional killing that occurs in the heat of the moment. A person accused of committing voluntary manslaughter had no intent to kill.

Involuntary Manslaughter is an unintentional killing that is caused by reckless behavior or criminal negligence.

The experienced attorneys at O’Connor, Runckel & O’Malley will skillfully use numerous defenses to improve the outcome of a case.  There are many defenses that apply to murder charges including: self-defense, mental defenses, false identification, insufficient evidence, factual innocence, and more.

The attorneys at O’Connor, Runckel & O’Malley are well known and respected throughout the legal community and among our clients. From our offices in Contra Costa County, San Francisco and Sacramento we serve clients throughout Northern California. Our experience and expertise are available to you.