Kansas
Homicide Defense

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Vincent Rivera, Homicide Defense Lawyer

Kansas Homicide Criminal Defense

Attorney Vincent Rivera

At Rivera Law Firm, we understand the gravity of facing homicide charges in Kansas and the importance of an aggressive and comprehensive criminal defense. Founding Attorney Vincent Rivera is dedicated to ensuring that every client's story is fully heard and understood by the judge and jury.

With extensive experience in State and Federal courts, Vincent has handled cases ranging from domestic battery and drug offenses to DUIs, sex crimes, and felony murder. As a two-time recipient of the Kansas Legal Educator Award and an active participant in numerous trial advocacy programs, Vincent continually sharpens his skills in order to provide clients with the most effective and compelling defense possible. If you are charged with homicide in Kansas, you need an attorney who will tirelessly fight for your rights and tell your complete story; trust the expertise of Vincent Rivera and the Rivera Law Firm to be your voice in court.

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  1. Murder As A Felony

  2. Murder in the First Degree

  3. Murder in the Second Degree

  4. Voluntary Manslaughter

  5. Involuntary Manslaughter

  6. Vehicular Homicide

  7. Assisted Suicide

  8. Capital Murder

  9. Contact a Homicide Defense Attorney

Murder As A Felony

Murder is an off-grid person felony. Often off-grid felonies are very serious crimes, punishable by the death penalty or life imprisonment. Murder is intentional and premeditated killing of any person in the commission of kidnapping pursuant to a contract or agreement by an inmate or prisoner or while in the custody of an officer.

Murder Is Also Intentional and Premeditated Killing of the Victim of One of the Following Crimes in the Commission Of, or After, Such Crime:

  • a law enforcement officer,
  • more than one person as a part of the same act,
  • a child under the age of 14 in the commission of kidnapping,
  • a sexual assault.

Murder in the First Degree

First-degree Murder is an off-grid person felony.

Murder in the First Degree Is the Killing of a Human Being Committed:

  • Intentionally and with premeditation; or
  • In the commission of, attempt to commit, or flight from an inherently dangerous felony as defined in K.S.A. 21-3436 and amendments thereto.

Murder in the Second Degree

Second-degree Murder is a severity level 2, person felony.

Murder in the Second Degree Is the Killing of a Human Being Committed:

  • Intentionally unintentionally but recklessly under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life.

Voluntary Manslaughter

Voluntary Manslaughter is a severity level 3, person felony.

Voluntary Manslaughter Is the Intentional Killing of a Human Being Committed:

  • Upon a sudden quarrel or in the heat of passion; or
  • upon an unreasonable but honest belief that circumstances existed that justified deadly force under K.S.A. 21-3211, 21-3212 or 21-3213 and amendments thereto.

Involuntary Manslaughter

Involuntary Manslaughter is a severity level 5, person felony.

Involuntary Manslaughter Is the Unintentional Killing of a Human Being Committed:

  • Recklessly in the commission of, or attempt to commit, or flight from any felony, other than an inherently dangerous felony as defined in K.S.A. 21-3436 and amendments thereto, that is enacted for the protection of human life or safety or a misdemeanor that is enacted for the protection of human life or safety, including acts described in K.S.A. 8-1566 and subsection (a) of 8-1568, and amendments thereto but excluding the acts described in K.S.A. 8-1567 and amendments thereto;
  • during the commission of a lawful act in an unlawful manner. Involuntary manslaughter is a severity-level 5, person felony.

Vehicular Homicide

Vehicular Homicide is a class A person misdemeanor.

Vehicular Homicide Is:

the unintentional killing of a human being committed by the operation of an automobile, airplane, motorboat, or other motor vehicles in a manner that creates an unreasonable risk of injury to the person or property of another and which constitutes a material deviation from the standard of care which a reasonable person would observe under the same circumstances.

Assisted Suicide

Assisting Suicide is either a level 3 or level 9, person felony.

Assisting Suicide Is Knowingly by Force or Duress Causing Another Person to Commit or to Attempt to Commit Suicide; Or with the Intent and Purpose of Assisting Another Person to Commit or to Attempt to Commit Suicide, Knowingly Either:

  • Providing the physical means by which another person commits or attempts to commit suicide; or
  • participating in a physical act by which another person commits or attempts to commit suicide.