Some of the most popular television shows for the last couple of decades have been so-called ‘police procedurals,’ where the main characters are law enforcement officers and the viewers are taken through the steps of identifying an alleged criminal and the solving of the crime. Also widely viewed are courtroom dramas, these shows purport to show the inner workings of the justice system. An especially successful example of this has been the “Law and Order” series of shows, which combine these two elements. If you have seen one of the various iterations of these shows, you have undoubtedly been treated to terms such as ‘first degree murder,’ or ‘premeditation’ among others. While these terms do exist in legal circles, especially in certain states, not every jurisdiction uses the same language and definitions. For example, Georgia law does not differentiate between degrees of murder in the classical sense. According to Georgia Statute 16-5-1, there are only two ways to commit murder: either the unlawful killing of another with “malice aforethought,” or killing someone unlawfully while engaged in the commission of another felony, regardless of the presence of any malice (aka ‘felony murder.’) Now, there are other charges that can be brought against someone who is involved in another’s death. These include, generally, voluntary and involuntary manslaughter, which are crimes that have elements that differ from a murder charge. Being charged with murder is serious and can lead to life-altering penalties. The prescribed sentences for murder are death, life imprisonment without parole, and life imprisonment. Therefore, if you face a murder charge in Georgia, you may want to seriously consider speaking with an experienced criminal attorney.