---
title: "What are the penalties for first-degree murder in Rhode Island?"
description: "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 involving torture, the..."
url: https://bankandmunns.com/faq-items/what-are-the-penalties-for-first-degree-murder-in-rhode-island/
date: 2026-04-22
modified: 2026-04-22
author: "Bank and Munns"
type: avada_faq
lang: en
---

# What are the penalties for first-degree murder in Rhode Island?

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 involving torture, the murder of a law enforcement officer, or murder committed during certain felonies - the court may impose **life without the possibility of parole**. The sentencing process for first-degree murder is its own mini-proceeding, with victim impact evidence, mitigation evidence, and contested factual issues decided by the court. An experienced Rhode Island homicide lawyer treats sentencing with the same intensity as trial, because for a defendant convicted of murder, a sentence of life with parole eligibility versus life without parole is the difference between hope and none.