Homicide Attorney in Nashville

Criminal Defense Representation from Charge Through Trial

A homicide charge is among the most serious accusations Tennessee law allows. The consequences range from years in prison to life without parole or, in first-degree murder cases, the death penalty. At May McKinney, our attorneys bring 80+ years of collective criminal defense experience to Nashville homicide cases, and our practice is devoted entirely to criminal defense. We’ve handled murder, second-degree murder, and vehicular homicide charges for clients across Nashville and throughout Tennessee, approaching each case by understanding the person behind it, not just the charges on paper.

Time is a factor from the moment of arrest or even investigation. Early intervention can preserve evidence, limit damage from statements made to police, and shape the entire trajectory of the defense. The sooner we’re involved, the more we can do.

If you or a family member is facing homicide charges in Nashville, contact May McKinney today at (615) 256-7337 for a confidential consultation.

What May McKinney Brings to Nashville Homicide Defense

Our attorneys don’t run homicide cases through a standard playbook. Every case carries its own facts, its own history, and its own circumstances that may have contributed to the situation our client now faces. That full picture shapes the defense strategy we build.

We evaluate every available option to pursue a favorable outcome. That includes scrutinizing whether law enforcement violated constitutional rights during the arrest, search, or interrogation, and whether any resulting evidence can be suppressed. It includes drawing on qualified expert witnesses to challenge forensic evidence or offer alternative explanations. And when the right path is trial, we’re prepared to go. Our representation isn’t conditional on a plea being available.

Prosecutors in Davidson County Criminal Court are aggressive in homicide cases. Effective defense demands attorneys who match that intensity, know the local court environment, and are prepared at every stage from pre-trial motions through verdict.

Defense Strategies We Examine in Homicide Cases

The strategy in any homicide defense depends on the specific facts, but several core areas of analysis apply across most cases.

Identification & Evidence Disputes
We examine how law enforcement linked our client to the crime. Eyewitness reliability, forensic evidence, and chain-of-custody issues all receive close scrutiny. If the state’s case rests on questionable identification, that can become a focus of the defense.

Constitutional Violations
Illegal searches, Miranda violations, and improper interrogation tactics can render evidence inadmissible. We evaluate every step of the investigation for constitutional deficiencies that could affect what the prosecution can use at trial.

Expert Testimony
Tennessee homicide prosecutions often turn heavily on forensic evidence. We work with independent experts to challenge the state’s forensic conclusions and, where appropriate, present alternative interpretations.

Self-Defense & Defense of Others
Tennessee law recognizes self-defense and defense of others as affirmative defenses when a person reasonably believes deadly force was necessary to prevent death or serious injury. When the facts support this defense, we build it fully.

Challenging Intent
First-degree murder requires proof of premeditation. Second-degree murder requires a knowing killing. Successfully contesting the mental state the prosecution attributes to our client can affect both the charge and the potential sentence range.

Charge Reduction
Overcharging occurs in high-profile homicide cases. We assess whether the evidence actually supports the charge brought or whether a reduction is warranted, and we pursue that argument when the facts allow it.

Talk to a Nashville Homicide Lawyer Today

At May McKinney, we’ve fought for clients during the most difficult periods of their lives. Our goal in every case is to pursue the most advantageous outcome possible while protecting our client’s rights throughout the process.

Confidential consultations are available for those facing homicide charges in Nashville and across Tennessee. Don’t wait to get counsel involved. Call May McKinney now at (615) 256-7337.

Tennessee Homicide Charges Under TCA 39-13-201

Tennessee defines criminal homicide as the unlawful killing of another person. Under TCA 39-13-201, that definition covers five distinct offenses, each carrying different elements and dramatically different penalties. What separates them is the mental state, known legally as mens rea, attributed to the defendant at the time of the killing.

Every criminal homicide charge in Tennessee is a felony carrying a Tennessee Department of Correction sentence and a permanent felony record. There are no misdemeanor homicide offenses under state law.

First-Degree Murder
A premeditated and intentional killing, or a killing that occurs during certain serious felonies under the felony murder rule. This is the most severe charge, carrying life imprisonment without parole, life with parole eligibility after serving 51 years, or the death penalty.

Second-Degree Murder
A knowing killing, classified as a Class A felony. The sentencing range is 15 to 60 years.

Voluntary Manslaughter
An intentional or knowing killing committed in a state of passion produced by adequate provocation sufficient to lead a reasonable person to act irrationally. It’s a Class C felony carrying 3 to 15 years.

Reckless Homicide
Defined under TCA 39-13-215 as a reckless killing, this is a Class D felony with a sentencing range of 2 to 12 years.

Criminally Negligent Homicide
Defined under TCA 39-13-212, this is a Class E felony carrying 1 to 6 years and involves a failure to perceive a substantial and unjustifiable risk that resulted in death.

How Nashville Homicide Cases Move Through Davidson County Criminal Court

All felony homicide charges in Nashville are prosecuted in Davidson County Criminal Court. Understanding the process helps defendants and their families know what to expect and why early legal involvement matters at each stage.

Cases typically begin with arrest and an initial appearance before a magistrate, where bail is addressed. From there, the case proceeds either through a preliminary hearing in General Sessions Court or directly to grand jury indictment. Once indicted, the defendant is arraigned in Criminal Court and enters a plea.

Pre-trial motions are one of the most consequential phases in homicide defense. Suppression motions can exclude evidence obtained through unconstitutional searches or improper interrogations. Motions challenging forensic procedures can limit what the jury sees at trial. A defendant has the right to remain silent from the moment of arrest, and statements made to law enforcement before an attorney is present can significantly shape the prosecution’s case.

Nashville homicide investigations frequently involve the Metro Nashville Police Department and, depending on the case, state or federal agencies. Early attorney involvement can directly affect how those investigative contacts are managed.

Vehicular Homicide in Tennessee

Vehicular homicide under TCA 39-13-213 is the reckless killing of another person resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle. The bases for the charge include reckless driving, DUI intoxication, drag racing, and conduct in a posted construction zone that results in the death of a transportation or highway construction worker. Sentencing consequences differ significantly by basis.

Reckless-driving-based vehicular homicide is generally a Class C felony, carrying 3 to 15 years. Drag racing falls under the same Class C classification. When the charge rests on DUI intoxication, it becomes a Class B felony with a range of 8 to 30 years. A construction zone death is a Class D felony. Prior DUI convictions can increase penalties further under Tennessee’s truth-in-sentencing provisions.

The prosecution must prove both recklessness and a direct causal link between the driving conduct and the death. Challenging either element is central to the defense. That analysis can involve accident reconstruction, scrutiny of blood or breath testing procedures, and examination of whether the driver’s conduct actually met the legal threshold for recklessness. We’ve handled vehicular homicide charges alongside more serious homicide allegations, and the same individualized approach applies to every case we take.