Amy Bishop Anderson, a University of Alabama biology professor, is charged with one count of capital murder in the deaths of two other professors and one professor’s assistant. Three other people, a staff member and two faculty members, were injured. The shooting happened on campus on Friday at around 4pm during a biology department meeting.
In 1986, Anderson, who has been employed at the University of Alabama since 2003, fatally shot her brother in Braintree, Massachusetts following what one police officer says was an argument. No charges were filed in what a police log lists as an accidental shooting.
Massachusetts Homicide Cases
While there is no death penalty in Massachusetts, there are serious penalties for those charged with homicide. The crime of murder in the first degree comes with a life prison sentence without parole-that is the maximum prison sentence allowed in the state. Other serious homicide charges include murder in the second degree, involuntary manslaughter, and voluntary manslaughter. In Massachusetts homicide cases, intent, motivation, and negligence are key factors in determining what charge to file against someone. This is not the kind of criminal case that you want to be a defendant of without having an experienced Boston homicide lawyer defending you and protecting your civil rights.
There are so many reasons why a person should be found not guilty of a crime. Your Boston criminal defense attorney can make sure that the right experts are retained and the proper evidence is presented in court to prove that you are not guilty. There may be reasons why lesser charges against you should be filed or why other charges should be dismissed.
Police: Alabama college shooting suspect killed her brother in 1986, CNN, February 14, 2010
Three killed in shooting at Alabama campus, Los Angeles Times, February 13, 2010
Related Web Resources:
Murders in Boston During 2010
Criminal Homicide, Justia