Because the penalties can include life in prison, life without the possibility of parole (LWOP) or, in rare cases, capital punishment, anyone accused of homicide must mount a comprehensive defense immediately.

California’s homicide statutes are complex. The penalties for a killing vary dramatically depending on whether the prosecutor alleges first‑degree murder, second‑degree murder, felony murder, attempted murder or manslaughter.

Murder convictions can result in decades behind bars, life without the possibility of parole (LWOP), or even capital punishment.