Pictured Above: Robert Fischer. Source: Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

An Orange County family lawyer has been charged with second degree murder in connection with a shooting of a man in Arizona. Robert Douglas Fischer is accused of killing Norman Radder, a former Orange County resident. At first, police thought that Radder had killed himself, but medical examiners determined that the shooting was a homicide. Fischer is currently being held in an Arizona jail without bail.

In California, second degree murder is the willful killing of another, that is not deliberate or premeditated. If charged with second degree murder in California, Fischer would face 15 years to life in prison, a strike on his record and would have to pay fines and restitution. Possible defenses to second degree murder include self defense, lack of intent to kill, and insanity. The insanity defense can be used only if a person could not understand the nature of his act or could not distinguish between right and wrong.

If you are charged with homicide, contact an experienced criminal defense attorney to assist you in fighting your charges and/or reducing your sentence.