Murder cases are the most difficult and most specialised. Don’t gamble with your representation.
Our murder lawyers leave no stone unturned in a murder case. This means every important detail being followed up, every witness being traced, and top forensic experts being brought in. Having specialist murder solicitors is an important first step. They will then bring in top barristers to defend you in court. The prosecution has immense resources in these cases. We have the tools to deal with their attacks. We care about one result – a not guilty verdict.
Read below to see how we get there.
Recent success stories
Client investigated for Murder - Police case dropped
Investigation discontinued with no further action
Murder linked to Mark Duggan's Death - Not Guilty
Not guilty verdict - client exonerated
Having to fight the Police & CPS without adequate support is tough
A person who is accused of murder feels the full weight of the police and CPS come down on them and it can be a terrifying and demoralising experience. Once the police decide to lock in on you, they almost never change their minds. All of their resources are focused on your guilt and on somehow finding evidence that helps them do that.
Many murder suspects spend days in the police station, before being taken straight to court. They then find themselves having to prepare their case from prison. They're often allocated a duty solicitor who may or may not have proper experience of murder cases. Having to trust a lawyer they might not have known before to represent them in a really serious case can be tough enough, but also being in prison can also mean being cut off from family and friends who want to help support them. A person facing this type of situation for the first time also won't find it easy to know which specialist murder solicitors to choose.
The Police and CPS are well resourced. Defendants can feel isolated.
In a murder case, it can seem that every aspect of the justice system works differently. The police resources are almost unlimited. The CPS lawyers are well prepared. They also don't always play fair. The police approach may seem on the surface professional or even friendly, but in reality, they're completely dedicated to the suspect being prosecuted and convicted.
Meanwhile, the defendant is usually stuck in jail trying to defend him or herself, often without having proper communication with the outside world or even with his or her legal team.
Whether the alleged victim was a friend or family member, a stranger in a dispute of some kind, an accused person can go through all kinds of feelings such as shock, fear, anger or confusion. Not knowing what's going on and not understanding the process make all of these feelings worse.
Murder cases can be won - confidence comes from the right approach
There are positive things that a person accused of murder can do to get back control of the situation. First is getting the right people on board. A good legal team will know how to defend you well, and this starts in the police interview. The advice you receive from specialist murder solicitors can limit the damage from police questioning, especially if you're tempted to answer officers' questions.
For a client to have confidence by the start of the trial, experienced murder lawyers can put together the right team for you. This includes choosing from the best KC barristers to speak on your behalf in court.
But the work starts long before the trial. Preparation is incredibly important. This means keeping you in the loop, working together with you, and doing the investigation that's needed. Specialist murder solicitors will also know which forensic expert witnesses to bring in to analyse and challenge it, whether it's phone evidence, fibre lifts, DNA or medical.
We commit fully to your case with skill, experience and contacts
The specialist murder solicitors at Mary Monson Solicitors have acted in some of the most significant murder cases of the last 40 years and we know what it takes to win.
Every single thing that can improve the chances of the client must be done and done well. Our approach is organised, disciplined and aggressive if required.
We put the resources in. If it means multiple lawyers on the team or more hours, then that's what we do.
We choose top KCs and barristers. The case that our specialist murder lawyers prepare must be perfectly presented to the jury.
We don't rest until every avenue has been explored. Site visits, second postmortems by our pathologists, DNA experts, phone experts, witness tracing. These are some of the paths we go down. We fight the prosecution attack by fully committing on our client's behalf. This means days, weeks and months spent working with you and working for you.
That is how our specialist murder solicitors get results in murder cases.
Actionable steps to take to move things in the right direction
There are some basic things you can do to start improving your chances in this situation.
Get a good firm of specialist murder solicitors to represent you or the family member you're helping. Assuming the duty solicitor must be a specialist in this area is often not a good idea.
Call us to talk about what's going on. We're happy to talk to you and see if we can help. We'll at least try to answer some of your questions.
Try to educate yourself about the case. Ask for a copy of the case summary. There are usually two: one at the Magistrates' Court and one at the Crown Court.
Avoid contact with police without speaking to a solicitor. This includes family liaison officers. They often gather evidence for the investigation although they will often not tell you this.
Nominate a friend family member who is level headed to help manage things. They can speak to lawyers, the accused family member, and other members of the family to make sure that information gets to the right person.
No-tricks fixed-fee pricing
We can usually offer a fixed fee instalment plan so you can plan for the expense, and so you can fund your case in stages while it is continuing.
Private representation
Once we have an idea of what kind of case you are facing and what work that will be necessary, we will then be able to provide you with a fixed fee quote. This means that you know before you commit how much your case will cost.
What's included?
Frequently asked questions
Is it possible to get bail in a murder case?
It's possible, but it can be very difficult. There is a presumption against bail in murder and offences of serious violence. A bail application has to be treated by the murder solicitors like a mini-trial. Courts will expect security (money paid into court), surety (money or assets promised to court) or both, and judges still may say no to bail. This is because the potential sentence in a murder case is so high that courts are often concerned about the risk of the defendant not returning for the trial.
Is it possible to change solicitors?
It can be possible, depending on the circumstances. If you're on legal aid the judge has to be persuaded that the legal aid should be transferred. Usually, this will be if the relationship has broken down or if there is a conflict of interest between you and the solicitors, or between you and somebody they represent.
How long are sentences for murder?
Murder carries a life sentence with a minimum recommendation of a certain number of years before release can be considered. It is unusual for this figure to be less than 20 years. In very serious cases involving weapons or other serious factors sentences over 30 years can be considered. Where the convicted person is considered a lifelong danger to society a whole life sentence may be given, but this is very rare.
Does a guilty plea reduce the length of sentence for murder?
Pleading guilty can reduce the minimum sentence in a murder case, but only by 15%.
What is joint enterprise murder? Is a person guilty for the actions of someone else if that person was present?
Joint enterprise means assisting or encouraging, usually at the scene, being part of the action that causes the death, and intending that death or serious injury is a possibility. Simply being present isn't enough to be guilty, though.
What's conspiracy to murder?
Conspiracy means a plan to commit an offence. A conspiracy to commit murder is the planning of a murder with one or more other people.
Can a murder charge be reduced to manslaughter?
If someone has died but there is no evidence that the person who caused it intended for death or serious injury to happen then manslaughter might be the end result. This can also be the case where somebody has a mental condition or illness which has affected their level of responsibility. An agreement to reduce the charge to manslaughter could be as a result of an agreement between the murder solicitors who are representing you and the prosecution lawyers. If not it will have to go trial before a jury where your lawyers argue for manslaughter on your behalf.
Send us a confidential message
We'll get back to you as soon as possible. We are happy to speak to you if you have a query, and either have a free consultation on the phone or in person if necessary.