Human Bones Found Could Still Lead to Murder Charges

Human bones were found under an abandoned mobile home in Worthville, Kentucky.  This is in Carroll County, northeast of Louisville.  Wave 3 TV reported the story.  According to one of the people who were interviewed, the trailer has been abandoned for about five (5) years.  Regardless of how long the remains have been there, they could still ultimately lead to murder charges.

Many crimes have statute of limitations which vary greatly from state to state.  A statute of limitations is a defined period during which charges can be filed.  If the statute of limitations expires, then prosecutors are usually barred from filing charges for a specific crime.  For example, there is no statute of limitations on a felony in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.  It can be brought at any time, whether it be one day after commission of the crime or forty (40) years after commission.  Similarly, the statute of limitations for bringing a misdemeanor in Kentucky is one (1) year.

For instance, if you committed a misdemeanor crime in Kentucky, prosecutors generally have a limit of one (1) year within which to charge you with the crime.  However, felonies do not have a limitation.  Murder, which is a felony, can be charged against an individual(s) regardless of long ago it happened.

If the coroner can gather enough forensic evidence to classify the cause of death as a homicide, then the authorities will pursue further evidence and begin building a case, which eventually may lead to murder charges.

Depending on the circumstances, murder charges (or manslaughter charges) could lead to an arrest, prosecution and possible subsequent conviction.  What’s the difference between murder and manslaughter? If convicted, the individual who committed the crime is most-likely facing jail time.  Again, regardless of how long ago the crime actually occurred.

If you’ve committed murder or manslaughter, you’ll need an experienced criminal defense attorney to defend you.  Once you’ve hired an attorney, any and all comments, statements or communications with your attorney is protected under the attorney-client privilege.  You’ll want to understand your rights and what’s at risk.

A skilled criminal defense attorney may be able to negotiate a plea to a lesser offense, or present an aggressive enough case that the prosecution fails to secure a conviction.

The discovery of these human bones in Worthville means the possibility of murder charges being brought is in the works.  Still, the authorities have a long way to go before they can identify a potential suspect and gather enough evidence to substantiate an arrest.  It appears this sleepy little town just got woken up.