Pasadena Homicide Lawyer Near You

A homicide accusation can upend your world in seconds. The law regards every unlawful death as a potential life-sentence crime, and the prosecution moves quickly.

We at Tung & Associates step in just as fast. As Pasadena homicide defense attorneys, we draw on decades of courtroom experience, forensic resources, and local insight to shield your future. Tony Tung leads each case personally, guiding our team of trial lawyers and investigators with a laser focus on results.

Pasadena recorded six homicides in 2023 – each tried in the Pasadena Courthouse at 300 E. Walnut St. These statistics may sound small, yet every charge here draws the full weight of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Our daily presence in that courthouse means we know its prosecutors, jurors, and judges, and we use that familiarity to your advantage.

Early counsel is critical because police gather statements and evidence in the first 24 hours. By retaining us immediately, you gain rapid advocacy that can challenge probable cause, protect your rights during interrogation, and shape charging decisions before they harden into a murder count.

“Antony Tung and his team are amazing! They handled my case with great expertise and compassion. I felt supported and well-informed throughout the entire process. Their dedication and hard work truly made a difference in my case.”  –  Zoe Brooke

Why Trust Our Pasadena Homicide Defense Team With Your Future?

Our Pasadena criminal defense attorneys back every case with courtroom-tested skill. Tony Tung has first-chaired dozens of murder and manslaughter trials to verdict, and that trial seasoning lets us dismantle prosecution theories long before a jury deliberates.

We build every defense around an investigator-driven strategy. Former homicide detectives, forensic scientists, and mental-health experts join our team the moment you hire us, exposing weaknesses that can shrink or even erase charges.

We guide each client in person and with compassion. By limiting our caseload, we ensure you meet directly with an attorney who knows your story, while our daily presence in the Pasadena Courthouse gives us credibility with local judges and prosecutors.

We remain reachable whenever the stakes are highest. Midnight interrogations and dawn search warrants trigger an immediate attorney callback, and our bilingual staff keeps language from ever blocking vital communication.

When prison is on the line, pairing legal firepower with genuine human support is non-negotiable. Call (626) 416-4668 for a free, confidential consultation – because every hour without counsel widens the gap between accusation and acquittal.

What Homicide Charges Could You Face in California, and Why Does the Difference Matter?

California labels every unlawful killing as homicide, yet the exact charge dictates whether someone risks life without parole or a few years in prison.

• First-Degree Murder.  Willful, premeditated killing or murder with aggravating factors. Penalties: 25-to-life; special-circumstance cases allow life without parole or, despite the current moratorium, possible death.
• Second-Degree Murder. Intentional but unplanned killing. Penalties: 15-to-life.
• Felony Murder Any death during certain felonies (robbery, burglary, etc.). Even an unarmed accomplice or getaway driver can face the same 25-to-life range because participation supplies the intent.
• Attempted Murder.  Victim survives, but the law still treats the act as a potential life sentence.
• Voluntary Manslaughter. Heat-of-passion or provoked killings. Penalties: 3, 6, or 11 years.
• Involuntary Manslaughter.: Unintentional death caused by criminal negligence. Penalties: 2–4 years.
• Vehicular Manslaughter & Gross DUI Manslaughter. Fatal crash due to negligence or intoxication. Penalties: up to 10 years.

The charge filed becomes the first battleground. We use the fine lines between murder and manslaughter to push prosecutors toward lesser counts – or no count at all – before a jury ever hears the case.

How Does a Homicide Case Progress in Pasadena, and Why Does Early Counsel Matter?

A homicide prosecution in Pasadena moves through predictable stages that each carry pivotal deadlines.

1. Investigation & Arrest. Pasadena Police homicide detectives gather statements, forensic evidence, and digital data within hours of a suspicious death. We intervene immediately to protect clients during questioning and to secure favorable evidence the police might overlook.
2. Booking & Charging. After arrest, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office reviews the file and decides whether to file murder or manslaughter counts. Filing happens at the Pasadena Courthouse, 300 E. Walnut St., and early advocacy can sometimes persuade prosecutors to file lesser charges or none at all.
3. Arraignment. Within 48 hours of arrest, the defendant appears before a Pasadena judge, hears the formal charges, and enters a plea. We argue for reasonable bail and ensure no self-incriminating statements slip into the record.
4. Pre-Trial Proceedings. Discovery, motion practice (such as Penal Code § 1538.5 suppression motions), and plea negotiations unfold over several months. Our team files targeted motions to exclude flawed forensics or coerced statements, increasing leverage for dismissal or reduction.
5. Jury Trial. If talks fail, the case is tried before twelve local jurors. We cross-examine eyewitnesses, challenge forensic gaps, and present experts to raise reasonable doubt.
6. Sentencing & Post-Conviction Relief. A conviction triggers a separate hearing to set penalties; we present mitigating factors to limit prison time and preserve appeal issues.

Each stage offers a window to change the outcome, which is why retaining our Pasadena homicide defense attorneys as early as possible often proves decisive.

How Do We Defend a Pasadena Homicide Charge Successfully?

Every homicide case starts with a forensic and legal audit. We first test whether self-defense applies, securing 911 tapes, witness accounts, and scene forensics to show our client reasonably feared imminent death. When the facts point to an accident, we work with biomechanical experts to prove the absence of any intent to kill.

Mistaken identity is another frequent flaw. By dissecting photo line-ups, enhancing surveillance footage, and locking down alibi evidence, we plant the reasonable doubt that can unravel a murder theory. If mental illness clouds intent, psychiatric specialists connect medical history to the defendant’s state of mind, supporting diminished-capacity or insanity findings.

We also scour the police file for constitutional violations. Coerced confessions and illegal searches trigger suppression motions that, once granted, can leave prosecutors without the evidence they need. Even when duress does not erase liability, proving that someone threatened our client can persuade a judge to temper an otherwise life-long sentence.

Our Pasadena homicide attorneys activate investigators and experts the moment we are hired, turning each of these defenses into concrete proof the prosecution cannot ignore.

How Will Pasadena Police, Courts, and Juries Shape Your Homicide Defense?

Pasadena is no stranger to serious crime, recording six homicides in 2023, down slightly from seven the year before. Every one of those investigations went through the Pasadena Police Department’s Robbery-Homicide Unit, whose detectives know the local streets – from Old Pasadena’s Colorado Boulevard nightlife to residential Hastings Ranch and Altadena foothills.

Cases are almost always filed at the Pasadena Courthouse, 300 E. Walnut St., where Los Angeles County prosecutors and judges work together daily. Familiarity with that tight courtroom community helps our team anticipate procedural preferences, jury pool tendencies, and the negotiation style of individual deputy district attorneys.

Jurors here reflect the San Gabriel Valley’s diversity, so themes that resonate downtown may need tailoring for a Pasadena panel. Local knowledge lets us humanize a client and connect with residents who drive the area’s main corridors – Arroyo Parkway, Lake Avenue, and the 210 freeway – places that often feature in witness stories and surveillance footage.

Because we appear in this courthouse weekly, we know which judges favor early settlement conferences and which demand full evidentiary hearings before ruling on key motions. That insight shapes strategy from day one and keeps the defense a step ahead.

Ready to Safeguard Your Future after a Pasadena Homicide Charge?

Time is the most valuable asset in any homicide defense. Each hour that passes without counsel gives police and prosecutors a head start in building their case.

We encourage you to call (626) 416-4668 right now for a free confidential consultation with the Pasadena homicide attorneys at Tung & Associates. Our office is conveniently located at 790 E. Colorado Blvd., 9th Floor, Pasadena, CA 91101, and a lawyer is available 24/7 to answer urgent questions, arrange jail visits, or begin evidence preservation immediately.

You don’t have to face a murder investigation alone. Let us step in today, protect your rights, and fight for the future you deserve.