Washington statute
RCW 9A.32.050 — Murder in the second degree
Current through 2026 Regular Session
Part of Chapter 9A.32: Homicide, Revised Code of Washington.
Criminal charges under this statute
Full text of RCW 9A.32.050
Statutory text current through the 2026 Regular Session. This publication reproduces the official text of the Revised Code of Washington from the Code Reviser's published files; it is not the official statutes of the State of Washington.
(1) A person is guilty of murder in the second degree when:
(a) With intent to cause the death of another person but without premeditation, he or she causes the death of such person or of a third person; or
(b) He or she commits or attempts to commit any felony, including assault, other than those enumerated in RCW 9A.32.030(1)(c), and, in the course of and in furtherance of such crime or in immediate flight therefrom, he or she, or another participant, causes the death of a person other than one of the participants; except that in any prosecution under this subdivision (1)(b) in which the defendant was not the only participant in the underlying crime, if established by the defendant by a preponderance of the evidence, it is a defense that the defendant:
(i) Did not commit the homicidal act or in any way solicit, request, command, importune, cause, or aid the commission thereof; and
(ii) Was not armed with a deadly weapon, or any instrument, article, or substance readily capable of causing death or serious physical injury; and
(iii) Had no reasonable grounds to believe that any other participant was armed with such a weapon, instrument, article, or substance; and
(iv) Had no reasonable grounds to believe that any other participant intended to engage in conduct likely to result in death or serious physical injury.
(2) Murder in the second degree is a class A felony.
Official sources
Legal terms used in this section
Questions this section answers
Is murder in the second degree a felony or a misdemeanor in Washington?
Murder in the second degree is a Class A Felony in Washington under RCW 9A.32.050.
Which Washington statute covers murder in the second degree?
Murder in the second degree is governed by RCW 9A.32.050 (Murder in the second degree).
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.