Criminal acts fall into one of two categories: felonies, which are serious crimes, and misdemeanors. Felonies typically carry a potential penalty of more than one year of incarceration, and are often subdivided into various levels, such as Class A felonies, Class B felonies, and so on. (Some states use numbers, such as Class 1 felonies, Class 2 felonies, etc.). Class A felonies are the most serious of crimes, and thus, carry the potential for significant periods of imprisonment, hefty fines, and in some states, the death penalty.
Class A Felony Offenses
- First degree murder: an intentional killing via poison, lying in wait, or by any other kind of willful, deliberate and premeditated action, or in some states, the intentional death of a class of persons, such as a police officer, a witness, a judge, or a death involving torture or some kind of heinous act.
- Felony Murder: In many jurisdictions, if a death (whether intended or not) results during the commission or attempted commission of inherently dangerous felony, such as armed robbery, kidnapping, rape, arson, then all participants in the underlying felony are subject to a possible murder charge.
Moreover, some states have given certain non-homicide crimes Class A felony status.
Sentencing for a Class A Felony Conviction: State Laws
If you are convicted of a Class A felony the sentencing can vary depending on the state you are being charged. Here are the following states that use a Class A felony classification and their general sentencing information. Click each state to see detailed information on Felony Classifications that are used for which crimes, and their corresponding sentencing, penalty, record expungement information:
- Washington: a Class A Felony crime carries a maximum sentence of up to life imprisonment and a fine of fifty thousand dollars.
- Missouri: a Class A felony crime carries a sentence ranging from ten years to thirty years, or in some instances, life imprisonment.
- Connecticut: a conviction for a Felony A murder carries a penalty of imprisonment from twenty to sixty years, and a possible fine of up to twenty-thousand dollars; other Class A felony convictions (First Degree Kidnapping, Aggravated Sexual Assault under 16, Sexual Assault with younger victims, and First Degree Arson) can result in imprisonment from ten to twenty-five years of imprisonment, and up to twenty-thousand dollars in fines.
- New Hampshire: Class A felonies carry a sentence of at least seven years.
- Indiana: Class A Felony sentencing is inbetween 20-50 years, has no statute of limitations, and n record expungement
- Kentucky: Class A felony convictions are sentenced 20-50 years in prison, common crimes include kidnapping, armed robbery and burglary, and drug trafficking distribution crimes
- Wisconsin: a Class A Felony is used for Murder offenses and is sentenced with life in prison
- Oregon: a Class A Felony classifies a wide range of crimes from murder to rape, arson, burglary, and more. Sentences average at 20 years but depend on the individual crime and the statute of each
- Tennessee: Class A Felony convictions are used for manslaughter, sex crimes, burglary, and drug offenses, sentencing is no less than 15 years
- Alabama: Class A Felonies classify the most serious offenses: rape, murder, first degree violent or burglary related offenses. Sentencing ranges from 10 years to life in prison, and usually a minimum fine of $60,000.00
Help from an Attorney
With the potential loss of one liberty (or even one’s life), hefty fines and a criminal record that may impact a persons ability to secure housing, employment, educational assistance and so on, the stakes facing a defendant charged with Class A felony are very high. Although a criminal defendant has a constitutional right to defend themselves at trial, the nuances of relevant criminal statutes, defenses, the development and use of testimony and physical evidence present a formidable challenge. In such a situation, a defendant would be best served by getting a criminal defense attorney.
