Murder Charges
s.302 Murder (Criminal Code Queensland)
(1) A person who unlawfully kills another under any of these circumstances is guilty of “murder”.
In Queensland, it is an offence to unlawfully kill another person. A person may be charged with this offence if they intend to cause the death of the person killed or another person, if they intend to cause grievous bodily harm to the person killed or another person, if the death occurred in the prosecution of an unlawful purpose which was likely to endanger human life, if they intended to do grievous bodily harm to another person in order to facilitate the commission of another crime or flee the scene of a crime, or if they wilfully stopped the breath of another person which caused them to die.
In relation to murder circumstances where the offender killed another person during the prosecution of an unlawful purpose includes committing an offence which was likely to endanger human life. For example, punching another person in the head or spiking a person’s drink with a dangerous drug would be conducted for an unlawful purpose which could possibly endanger the victim’s life. If the victim passes away in those circumstances, the offender may be charged with Murder.
Additionally, a person may still be charged with Murder even if they did not intend to hurt the victim or another person. If it was reasonably foreseeable that the victim would die as a result of the offender’s conduct, they may be charged with the offence. If an offender did not intend to kill or harm the victim, they may still be charged with Murder if they intended to act in a way which caused the victim’s death.
Penalty for a Murder Charge
The mandatory penalty for a murder charge is life imprisonment (25 years imprisonment). All murder charges are heard in the Supreme Court, due to their serious nature.
Are there any defence to a murder charge?
Yes. The facts of your murder case will determine which defences will be available for you. The following defences may be available to you:
- The death was not caused by the accused’s actions;
- Self-defence or defence of another;
- Accident;
- Insanity;
- Automatism;
- Diminished Responsibility;
- Killing for Preservation in an Abusive Domestic
- Relationship;
- Provocation (partial defence only).
What should I do if the police want to speak to me about a murder allegation or if I am charged with murder?
You have the right to remain silent. You DO have to provide the police with your name, date of birth and contact details. You should NOT answer any questions, make any statement or participate in any interview with the police. You should be polite to the officer but insist that you want to talk to your lawyer. You have the right to telephone a friend, relative or lawyer.
Call an Expert Murder Case Lawyer
If you are charged with murder, it is very important that you seek immediate legal advice. Our team of criminal lawyers at Brooke Winter Solicitors can give you over the phone advice. We have a solid reputation as expert Criminal Lawyers and can represent you in court.
Call us on 1300 066 669 if you have any questions. We can assist you no matter where you are located and can appear in every court.
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