Wisconsin Homicide Defense Lawyers

A homicide charge is one of the most serious accusations a person can face. In Wisconsin, first-degree intentional homicide is a Class A felony carrying a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment, and even lesser homicide charges can mean decades in prison. These cases can turn on questions of intent, self-defense, causation, and the reliability of forensic and witness evidence — and they are won or lost in the details.

At Strang Bradley, we defend people across Wisconsin who are under investigation for or charged with homicide. We build each defense from the ground up: independent investigation, scrutiny of the State’s forensics, and a clear-eyed strategy aimed at the best possible outcome. If you or a loved one is facing a homicide allegation, the time to act is now.

Types of Homicide Charges in Wisconsin

Wisconsin law divides homicide into several distinct offenses, each with different elements and penalties:

• First-degree intentional homicide — causing death with intent to kill (Class A felony, mandatory life)
• Second-degree intentional homicide — an intentional killing with a mitigating circumstance, such as imperfect self-defense
• First-degree reckless homicide — causing death through conduct showing utter disregard for human life
• Second-degree reckless homicide — causing death through criminal recklessness
• Felony murder — a death that occurs during the commission of certain felonies
• Homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle or firearm
• Negligent homicide — causing death through criminal negligence

How We Defend Homicide Cases

Every homicide case is different, but a strong defense often involves self-defense or defense of others (including imperfect self-defense, which can reduce the degree of the charge); challenging intent, since the difference between intentional, reckless, and negligent homicide is often the whole case; disputing causation; attacking the forensic evidence — DNA, ballistics, blood-spatter analysis, and the time and cause of death; exposing unreliable eyewitness identification or incentivized informant testimony; suppressing statements taken in violation of Miranda or through coercion; and identifying an alternative suspect the investigation overlooked.

What to Do If You Are Under Investigation

• Contact an attorney before speaking to police, detectives, or investigators.
• Contact an attorney before consenting to searches of your home, phone, vehicle, or social media. Politely decline and call a lawyer.
• Assume that calls, texts, and jail communications are recorded and preserved.
• Contact a homicide defense attorney immediately. The State’s investigation has a head start, and early defense work can change the trajectory of the case.

Why Choose Strang Bradley

Homicide cases demand experience, resources, and resolve. The State brings its full weight to these prosecutions — crime labs, expert witnesses, and seasoned prosecutors. Our attorneys know how to meet that with rigorous independent investigation, careful forensic analysis, and trial advocacy honed in the most serious cases. We treat every client with respect and every case with the urgency it deserves.