List of punishments for murder in the United States
Murder, as defined in common law countries, is the unlawful killing of another human being with intent (or malice aforethought), and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide (such as manslaughter). As the loss of a human being inflicts an enormous amount of grief for individuals close to the victim, as well as the fact that the commission of a murder permanently deprives the victim of their existence, most societies have considered it a very serious crime warranting the harshest punishments available. A person who commits murder is called a murderer, and the penalties, as outlined below, vary from state to state. In 2005, the United States Supreme Court held that offenders under the age of 18 at the time of the murder were exempt from the death penalty under Roper v. Simmons. In 2012, the United States Supreme Court held in Miller v. Alabama that mandatory sentences of life without the possibility of parole are unconstitutional for juvenile offenders. Federal Civilian Source: Military Source: District of Columbia Source: Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands Source: By states Alabama Source: Alaska Source: Arizona Source: Arkansas Source: California Source: Excluding murder, all offenses below are eligible for probation terms. If probation is given, the maximum confinement sentence is up to a year in jail with up to five years of probation. If probation is denied, the following prison terms are used: Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Source: Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Source: Maine Source: Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Source: Minnesota Mississippi Source: Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada Under Assembly Bill 267, juveniles must have parole eligibility begin after 20 years if only one death occurred. Nevada does not have guidelines on when to offer parole if more than one person was killed. But, the judge would apply the same as if it was just one victim. New Hampshire Source: New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Ohio differentiates between "Aggravated Murder (First-Degree Murder)" and "Murder (Second-Degree Murder)." Aggravated Murder consists of purposely causing the death of another (or unlawful termination of a pregnancy) with prior calculation and design, or purposely causing the death of another under the age of 13, a law enforcement officer, or in the course of committing certain serious felony offenses. Murder consists of purposely causing the death of another, or causing the death of another as a proximate result of committing certain serious felony offenses. Oklahoma (life with and without parole are eligible for reduction after 38 years) Oregon Sources: Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Source: Virginia Washington Sources: West Virginia Source: Wisconsin Wyoming Source: References Bibliography Lord Mustill on the Common Law concerning murder Sir Edward Coke Co. Inst., Pt. III, ch.7, p. 50 External links 1986 Seville Statement on Violence (from UNESCO) Introduction and Updated Information on the Seville Statement on Violence U.S. Centers for Disease Control "Atlas of United States Mortality" Cezanne's depiction of " Capital punishment