Fort Worth Attempted Murder Lawyer

If you were charged with attempted murder in Texas, may be facing serious consequences that could permanently affect your life. Any charge associated with murder in Texas is taken extremely seriously, even if no one actually was harmed.

Our Fort Worth attempted murder lawyers can work with you to help you tell your side of the story. You need a dedicated ally by your side to fight these allegations and our attorneys are ready to fight for you.

Laws Governing Attempted Murder

Like many states, Texas does not have a specific statute regarding attempted murder, which is also sometimes referred to as an attempted homicide. Instead, it combines the language set forth in Texas Penal Code § 19.02, which defines the crime of murder, and Texas Penal Code § 15.01, which defines the term “criminal attempt” to delineate this crime.

Taken together, the two cited statutes effectively define “attempted murder” as the unfinished or unsuccessful act of killing another individual. In this regard, a person can be charged with attempted murder if they allegedly try to murder someone else but, for whatever reason, do not complete the act.

Elements of Attempted Murder

The crime of attempted murder in Texas requires both intent and action. Thus, to convict anyone of that crime, the prosecution must prove that the defendant intended to kill another person and that they did something to accomplish that objective.

Thinking about killing someone else and even planning how to do so address the intent element of the crime of attempted murder. But the action element requires that the alleged perpetrator has actually taken some direct steps to bring about the death. Examples of what might constitute such “direct steps” include, but are not limited to:

• Ambushing
• Luring
• Stalking or Tracking
• Purchasing a weapon
• Soliciting another party to assist in – or carry out – the murder

In Fort Worth, the crime of attempted murder is committed as soon as the alleged perpetrator takes a deliberate step to carry out the murder. Even if the alleged perpetrator subsequently changes their mind or decides to abandon the plan, they may still face these charges.

Possible Consequences and Defenses

Given that attempted murder requires both intent and action, most defenses will focus on proving that the defendant never intended to kill the alleged victim and/or that they never initiated any direct action to kill that person. Depending on the specific facts and circumstances of a particular case, it may also be possible for a Fort Worth attempted murder lawyer to argue that the defendant was acting in self-defense or in defense of another and/or that the plan to carry out the alleged murder never had any chance of succeeding.

In Texas, the penalties for attempted murder can include up to 20 years in a Texas state prison and a fine of up to $10,000. In addition, depending on the specific circumstances, additional penalties may be imposed in some cases.

Speaking with a Fort Worth Attempted Murder Attorney

Given the severe penalties that can be imposed in such cases, it is very important for you to contact a Fort Worth attempted murder lawyer as soon as possible if you are facing attempted murder charges. It is equally important that you not talk to anyone about the matter until you have had a chance to confer with your attorney and decide how best to defend you against those charges.

An aggressive attorney can passionately advocate for your rights to help you reach the best outcome given your specific circumstances. Call us today to set up a free consultation to learn more.