To prove the crime of Vehicular or Boat/Vessel Homicide, the State must prove more than a failure to use ordinary care. They must prove the victim is dead, the death was caused by the operation of a motor vehicle or boat by the defendant, and defendant operated the motor vehicle or boat in a reckless manner likely to cause the death of or great bodily harm to another person. The State does not have to prove that the defendant had an intent to harm or injure the victim.

There are enhanced penalties if at the time of the accident, defendant knew, or should have known, that the accident occurred; and defendant failed to give information and render aid as required by law.

However, the State is not required to prove the defendant knew that the accident resulted in injury or death. “Victim” includes a human being or a viable fetus which is killed as a result of any injury to the mother. A fetus is viable when it becomes capable of meaningful life outside the womb through standard medical measures.

Florida Murder Defense Lawyer

Self Defense as a Defense to Murder

He hit me first! I was just defending myself! Often, the best defense to a murder or homicide charge is self-defense. The essence of self-defense is someone hit you first, pulled a dangerous weapon or a gun on you or you thought they were going to immediately hit or shoot you and you shot or struck them. The whole issue at trial is going to be whether your actions of self-defense were reasonable. For instance, you cant shoot somebody if they are only using their hands to punch you. However, if the other person had a gun, that’s a different story. Generally, the defense has no burden of proof. However, with a self-defense claim, we have to prove that you reasonably believed your conduct was necessary to defend yourself against the accusers imminent use of unlawful force. Also, we must prove that the use of unlawful force by the accuser must have appeared to you to be ready to take place.

In Florida, there is no duty to retreat. The legislature, after much lobbying from the National Rifle Association, passed this law. This relatively new “stand your ground” law is an excellent tool for murder or homicide criminal defense lawyers. You now have the right to defend yourself and stand your ground, even using deadly force with a gun, if you are abiding by the law and get attacked. However, you must reasonably believe your actions were necessary to prevent death or great bodily harm.

The jury must judge you by the circumstances you were surrounded by at the time the force was used. Every case is different. What is reasonable self-defense is defined by the jury that you and your criminal defense lawyer pick.

Defense of Others 

I was just protecting another person from a maniac! That’s essentially the defense of others.

The whole issue at trial is going to be whether your actions in defending another person were reasonable. For instance, for defense of others, you cant shoot somebody if they are only kicking the other person with their feet. Generally, the defense has no burden of proof. However, with a defense of others claim, we have to prove that you reasonably believed your conduct was necessary to defend another person against the accusers imminent use of unlawful force. Also, we must prove that the use of unlawful force by the accuser took place or must have appeared to you to be ready to take place.

The jury must judge you by the circumstances you were surrounded by at the time the force was used. Every case is different. What is reasonable defense of others is defined by the jury that you and your criminal defense lawyer pick.

Justifiable Homicide

The killing of a human being is justifiable homicide and lawful if necessarily done while resisting an attempt to murder or commit a felony upon the defendant, or to commit a felony in any dwelling house in which the defendant was at the time of the killing.

Excusable Homicide

The killing of a human being is excusable, and therefore lawful, under any one of the following three circumstances:

* “Dangerous weapon” is any weapon that, taking into account the manner in which it is used, is likely to produce death or great bodily harm.