Art. 138 CP
Homicide
Causing another’s death: ten to fifteen years in prison.
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Homicide · Murder · Alicante
Homicide and murder lawyer in Alicante
The most serious offences in the Criminal Code, where every circumstance is worth years.
Homicide, murder, homicide by negligence: Articles 138 to 143 of the Spanish Criminal Code punish attacks on life with the heaviest penalties. In Alicante, these cases require an experienced English-speaking defence, centred on intent, circumstances and expert evidence.
In brief. homicide (Art. 138) is punished by ten to fifteen years; murder (Art. 139), marked by treachery, cruelty or reward, by fifteen to twenty-five years. Homicide by negligence (Art. 142) and assisting suicide (Art. 143) fall under distinct regimes. Distinguishing intent, eventual intent and negligence, and challenging the circumstances, are decisive in Alicante.
Key facts
138
Homicide: penalty of ten to fifteen years in prison.
139
Murder (treachery, cruelty, reward): fifteen to twenty-five years.
24h
English-speaking lawyer in Alicante, defence from police custody.
Intent and circumstances
Intent determines the qualification. Intentional homicide (Art. 138), qualified murder (Art. 139) or homicide by negligence (Art. 142): the line between intent, eventual intent and negligence commands the penalty, sometimes threefold.
The circumstances of murder are contested. Treachery (alevosía), cruelty or reward (Art. 139) turn homicide into murder. Challenging their concurrence is often the decisive line of defence.
Self-defence and exclusion grounds matter. An unlawful attack, mental disorder or state of necessity may exclude or mitigate liability, on the basis of rigorous expert evidence.
What we defend
Attacks on life
Art. 139 CP
Murder
Homicide with treachery, cruelty or reward: fifteen to twenty-five years.
Art. 140 CP
Hyper-aggravated murder
Minor or vulnerable victim, or plurality: reviewable permanent imprisonment.
Art. 142 CP
Homicide by negligence
Death caused by gross negligence: one to four years.
Art. 143 CP
Assisting suicide
Inducing or cooperating in another’s suicide: graded penalties.
Art. 16 CP
Attempt
Attempted homicide or murder: one or two degrees lower.
Art. 20.4 CP
Self-defence
Necessary reaction to an unlawful attack: possible exemption.
Art. 21 CP
Mitigating factors
Disturbance, reparation, confession: sentence reduction.
Art. 22.1 CP
Treachery (alevosía)
The circumstance qualifying murder: to be strictly contested.
Penalty framework
Indicative overview
| Offence | Article | Penalty framework | Key point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 138 | 10 – 15 years | Intent |
| Murder | 139 | 15 – 25 years | Treachery / cruelty |
| Hyper-aggravated murder | 140 | Reviewable permanent imprisonment | Vulnerable victim |
| Homicide by negligence | 142 | 1 – 4 years | Gross negligence |
| Assisting suicide | 143 | Graded penalties | Degree of participation |
| Attempt | 16 / 62 | One or two degrees lower | Degree of execution |
| Self-defence | 20.4 | Possible exemption | Unlawful attack |
| Mitigating factors | 21 | Reduced sentence | Disturbance, reparation, confession |
Indicative figures based on the Spanish Criminal Code. Penalties are very high and depend closely on the circumstances. This table does not replace a lawyer’s analysis.
Our difference
One circumstance ruled out is years less
Qualification turns on decisive details. Distinguishing homicide from murder, eventual intent from negligence, or establishing an attempt, can change the sentence by several years, even decades.
We mobilise expertise from the first hour. Reconstruction, forensic and ballistic expertise, and strict challenge to aggravating circumstances are central to the defence, in Alicante as elsewhere.
01
Strict challenge to the circumstances of murder
02
Distinguishing intent, eventual intent and negligence
03
Plea of self-defence and exclusion grounds
04
Forensic expertise and reconstruction of the facts
How we act
A structured defence at every stage
Phase 01
Police custody and first statements
Phase 02
Investigation and expert assessments
Phase 03
Qualification and challenge to the circumstances
Phase 04
Trial in Alicante and appeals
Who we represent
In Alicante and around
D
People under investigation
People prosecuted for homicide or murder, in Alicante.
V
Victims’ families
Relatives joining as a private prosecution and seeking justice and reparation.
A
People involved in accidents
People prosecuted for homicide by negligence.
R
Foreign residents
English-speakers facing the most serious proceedings in Spain.
Related
Related pages
FAQ
What you should know
Difference between homicide and murder?
Murder (Art. 139) is a homicide with treachery, cruelty or reward; its penalty (15-25 years) is far higher than homicide’s (10-15 years).
Is homicide by negligence serious?
It is less severely punished (Art. 142, one to four years) than intentional homicide, but remains a serious offence, common in accident cases.
What is reviewable permanent imprisonment?
A penalty reserved for hyper-aggravated murder (Art. 140), reviewable after a long term, under strict conditions.
Can self-defence apply?
Yes. An unlawful attack and a necessary reaction may lead to exemption (Art. 20.4) or its incomplete form.
Does an attempt reduce the penalty?
Yes. Attempted homicide or murder is punished one or two degrees lower (Arts. 16 and 62).
When should I consult a lawyer?
Immediately: the defence is built from police custody. The firm acts 24/7 in Alicante and throughout Spain.
Speak to a criminal lawyer
In a fast-track case, the days you have are the case.
Criminal defence in English before the courts of Alicante and the rest of Spain, for residents and for visitors who have flown home.
Provisions cited on this page:
Article 138 of the Spanish Criminal CodeArticle 139 of the Spanish Criminal CodeArticle 142 of the Spanish Criminal CodeArticle 143 of the Spanish Criminal CodeArticle 16 of the Spanish Criminal CodeArticle 20 of the Spanish Criminal CodeArticle 21 of the Spanish Criminal CodeArticle 22 of the Spanish Criminal CodeSpanish Criminal Code article by article
Article 138 of the Spanish Criminal CodeArticle 139 of the Spanish Criminal CodeArticle 142 of the Spanish Criminal CodeArticle 143 of the Spanish Criminal CodeArticle 16 of the Spanish Criminal CodeArticle 20 of the Spanish Criminal CodeArticle 21 of the Spanish Criminal CodeArticle 22 of the Spanish Criminal CodeSpanish Criminal Code article by article
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