A murder conviction is a jury verdict in which someone who has been accused of murder is found guilty. The standards for conviction in murder cases are very high to ensure that people are not falsely convicted and to protect the integrity of the justice system. Once a murder conviction is returned by the jury, the judge in the case can issue a sentence. This also typically triggers an appeals process, in which the convicted person challenges the conviction in a higher court.
Rather than being charged simply with “murder,” people are charged with murder in the form of a degree. Murder charges are divided into degrees to separate out different types of murders; whether or not the accused planned the murder and intended to kill the victim plays a role in determining which degree to assign to the charge. Murder also differs from manslaughter.
In order to return a murder conviction, the jury must hear the facts of the case as presented in court and then deliberate. They must determine that the prosecution in the case has proved beyond a reasonable doubt that a murder occurred and the accused committed the crime. The judge typically instructs the jury before they go into deliberation, reminding the jury of the charge, the definition of the charge, and the standards which must be met before the jury can return a guilty verdict.
After a murder conviction, the judge passes sentence on the convicted person. Many regions have sentencing guidelines which are intended for use in such cases to keep sentences consistent and appropriate. The sentence may be complicated by additional charges in the case if the convict was also convicted on these charges. For example, someone convicted of murder, rape, and kidnapping will receive a different sentence than someone who is convicted of murder alone. The sentence includes jail time, and in some regions of the world, the death penalty.
It is possible to overturn a murder conviction. Convicted criminals typically appeal their cases and the appeals may show either that the convict is not actually guilty of the crime or that there were procedural errors which occurred during the trial. If there were procedural errors, the conviction is overturned, and a new trial must be held. Someone who has been falsely convicted of murder may also be entitled to receive compensation, depending on the rules in the legal system where the person was convicted.
