Violent offences
Some of the most common types of offences laid are violent offences. These offences range in severity from common assault to criminal harassment to murder. These offences almost always involve actions that could or do cause physical or psychological harm. Some common violent offences are:
- Assault: simple assault can be something as small as a shove to something as severe as a brawl.
- Assault with a weapon: depending on how it is used, almost anything can be a weapon – a pen, a bottle, even a frying pan.
- Assault causing bodily harm: bodily harm is a broad phrase that can range from scratches to broken bones.
- Aggravated assault: a unique branch of assault defined in the Code, aggravated assault includes severe, often permanent injuries.
- Criminal Negligence Causing Death: this offence involves circumstances where your failure to be diligent results in another person’s death.
- Failing to Provide the Necessities of Life: Relating to parents or caregivers, this offence deals with allegations of failing to duties owed to persons under your care.
- Uttering Threats: even if a threat is unintended, allegations of uttering threats may result in serious consequences.
- Criminal Harassment: repeated communication or stalking are just two types of criminal harassment.
The most serious violent offences in Canada are homicide offences, including manslaughter, murder, or being a party to such an offence.
Our lawyers have experience in dealing with a wide variety of violent offences, however, each case is unique, and turns on its own facts. People charged with violent offences require a defence tailored to their personal circumstances.
Contact YYC Criminal Defence today to start your defence.
HOMICIDE
Homicide is the most serious offence in the Criminal Code of Canada, and can be defined as the deliberate and unlawful killing of one person by another person. It is important to note that homicide is only an offence when it meets the classification of “culpable homicide”, meaning that a person’s death was caused by an unlawful act or by negligence. Under the Criminal Code of Canada, culpable homicide is prosecuted as murder, manslaughter, or infanticide.
In Canada, we have three different levels of murder.
First Degree Murder
The unlawful killing (both willful and premeditated) of the victim. It is important to note that if a police officer is killed in the process of carrying out his or her duties, it is automatically considered first-degree murder, even if the death was not planned and deliberate. Similarly, if someone is murdered during the course of a sexual assault or forced confinement, an first-degree murder charge is automatically issued.
Second Degree Murder
Second-degree murder is considered all other forms of murder other than those of the first degree. This means even if a murder did not involve any planning or deliberation, but the intent to kill someone was still present, it is still classified as murder, albeit in the second degree.
Manslaughter
Manslaughter can be defined as a situation where death occurs when somebody is committing an illegal act. If an individual died but there was no intention to cause death, it is classified as manslaughter. Situations where there is an intention to cause harm, but not death, for example, during a fist fight, and death does occur, this may be considered manslaughter.
If you have been charged with homicide, it is imperative you do not try and navigate the legal system on your own. Homicide is considered one of the most serious offences you could ever commit, not only in Canada but all over the world. Contact our office today, and we can work with you through this stressful time to achieve the right result for your situation.