A true accident - one that occurred without criminal negligence and without an underlying unlawful act - is not a crime in Rhode Island. Many cases initially [...]
Yes. Self-defense is a complete defense to homicide in Rhode Island when a defendant reasonably believed that deadly force was immediately necessary to prevent death or serious [...]
Homicide cases are the slowest-moving criminal matters in Rhode Island. From arrest to trial, most murder cases take 18 to 30 months, and complex cases can take [...]
Rhode Island does not have the death penalty. First-degree murder under RIGL § 11-23-1 is punishable by life imprisonment. In certain aggravated cases - such as killings [...]
Malice aforethought is a legal term of art. It does not mean hatred, and it does not require long-term planning. Under Rhode Island law, malice can be [...]
Bail in Rhode Island murder cases is not automatic, but it is also not impossible. The Rhode Island Constitution permits the court to deny bail in capital [...]
