Attempted Murder and Conspiracy to Commit Murder
Attempted Murder involves an unsuccessful attempt to kill, and requires an intent to kill. Many times following an attempted murder charge, the prosecution falls short of proving intent to kill, unless the accused is tricked by the police into admitting intention to kill during interrogation. In the absence of a confession, or admission of guilt, by the accused, it is very difficult to prove that the accused’s actions were with the specific intent to kill. For example, absent putting a gun to someone’s head and pulling the trigger, the shooting of the victim is not, in and of itself, sufficient proof of an intent to kill. Ironically, the same act- shooting the victim- could, if the victim dies, constitute sufficient evidence to found a conviction for murder, as the intent required for murder is of a lesser degree- an intention to cause bodily harm that the accused knew was likely to cause death.
Conspiracy to commit murder or attempted murder involves an agreement by two or more persons to commit murder, as well as an intention to carry out their plan. The violent act itself does not have to be committed, nor do any steps have to be taken to carry out the murder. All that is required is proof of an agreement to kill the intended victim. Many times proof of the conspiracy is derived from wiretaps, and nowadays, via emails, text messages, etc. Believe-it-or-not, people who talk about planning a murder by phone may also use other forms of media to communicate their dastardly deeds to avoid such cases like attempted murder.
It is imperative that you speak to The Criminal Law Team before talking to anyone about your case, especially the police, so as to avoid incriminating yourself. We are well aware of the interrogation techniques used by police to extract a confession from a suspect. The police use the ‘Reid Technique’, which has three components to it, and nine steps, all designed to make the accused or suspect lower his guard and talk. We can prepare you for your interrogation, which will most likely occur, especially if you are a suspect or accused charged with Attempted Murder or Conspiracy to commit Murder. Contact us now so that we can help you with your attempted murder case.