Murder in Rhode Island law constitutes the intentional killing, under circumstances defined by law, of people within or under the jurisdiction of the U.S. state of Rhode Island.
Rhode Island law defined murder as "the unlawful killing of a human being with malice aforethought", with first degree murder including "every murder perpetrated by poison, lying in wait, or any other kind of willful, deliberate, malicious, and premeditated killing", as well as murders committed in the course of a lengthy list of other crimes, or against various public officers in the performance of their duties.[2] All other murders are classified as second degree murders.[2]
Penalties
Offense
Mandatory sentence
Second Degree Murder
Life or no less than 10 years
First Degree Murder
Life without parole or Life (parole eligibility after 15,20 or 25 years)