Hampshire Attempted Murder Defense Attorney

Persuasive Advocacy from a Skilled & Reputable Defender in Franklin, Hampden, & Berkshire Counties

Jesse Adams Law Firm LLC provides rigorous and aggressive representation for the accused throughout Hampshire, Massachusetts. Throughout his legal career, Attorney Jesse Adams has only ever worked on the defense side, so you can rest assured that he firmly believes in the rights and experiences of wrongfully accused defendants. He has cultivated a well-known reputation among the community and is skilled at persuasive advocacy and litigation. When you are facing criminal charges as serious as attempted murder, you need a lawyer who has the skill and experience to handle such a defense.

Schedule a free consultation with Jesse Adams Law Firm LLC to discuss your defense options. 

What Is Attempted Murder?

According to Massachusetts law, a person can be convicted of attempted murder if:

• they had a specific intent to commit murder;
• they performed an overt act to commit murder (some actual, outward, or physical action that takes a step toward committing the crime) and come reasonably close to actually carrying out the murder; and
• the defendant’s actions did not result in the murder being fully completed.

The intent to kill is a crucial element of an attempted murder charge. In other words, it is not sufficient to bring forward a case of attempted murder if the defendant merely intended to cause serious bodily harm to another person — there must be evidence that they intended to kill. 

In some situations, it may not be necessary to show the intent to kill, such as if the offense involved firing a gun into a residence and injuring the residents inside. Such a case may be charged as attempted murder because the defendant showed some intent to kill by firing into a home with living residents (rather than a specific intent to kill). The judge may also decide that a defendant may still be charged with attempted murder even if they abandon their intent to kill moments before committing the crime. 

Some examples of “overt acts” that constitute a crime of attempted murder include:

• Physically going to purchase a gun and gun license to kill another person
• Purchasing the parts required to construct an explosive that might be used to kill someone;
• Tracking or stalking the alleged intended victim, such as by hiding out and watching them over a period of time or following them to find a chance to commit the murder
• Trying to lure the alleged victim into an isolated place or a place that has been set up for the murder
• Breaking into a home with the intent to kill the person inside
• Soliciting another person to commit the murder by threat or some other motivating factor, such as convincing someone to carry parts of the bomb to be used in the crime or participate in a key stage of the crime without their knowledge of the murder