A murder charge is the most serious criminal accusation a person can face in New York.

New York Penal Code Article 125 governs homicide offenses. Murder in the second degree (PL §125.25) is the most frequently prosecuted form — a Class A-I felony carrying 15 years to life in prison. It covers intentional killings, deaths caused during the commission of another felony (felony murder), and killings committed under extreme emotional disturbance where the defendant can establish that disturbance as a mitigating factor.

Murder in the first degree (PL §125.27) is reserved for the most aggravated circumstances: the killing of a police officer or first responder in the line of duty, murders committed for hire, killings carried out in connection with terrorism, or situations involving multiple victims. A first-degree murder conviction carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years to life, and in some circumstances, life without the possibility of parole.

At Nonaj Law, we approach homicide defense with the same level of strategic care and commitment we bring to every matter, paired with the urgency these cases demand. Defending against a murder charge requires an exhaustive examination of all available evidence — physical, forensic, and digital — as well as a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident. We look for inconsistencies in witness accounts, gaps in the forensic evidence, procedural violations during the investigation and arrest, and any factors that might support a reduction of charges or justify the defendant’s conduct under the law. In cases where innocence is not in dispute, we work equally hard to ensure that mitigating factors are fully and persuasively presented.