To the user above, I liked your summary, but here is a correction: The brutality of a Eldridge's death had nothing to do with the homicide charge. Homicide is decided based on the level of intent. The manner or painfulness or wrongfulness of death doesn't determine the gravity of the charge.
If you shoot a gun at someone intending to kill her, that's murder in the first degree.
If you shoot a gun at someone intending to wound her but you unintentionally kill her anyway, that's murder in the second degree.
If you shoot a gun intending only to scare but not hit the person at all and you end up hitting and killing the person, that's manslaughter.
See the difference? Murder 1 you intended the act (shooting) and the consequence (death). Murder 2 you intended the act but not the consequence. Manslaughter you didn't intend the act or the consequence. As I recall, New York, where SVU is premised, doesn't have a Murder 2 or rather they blend Murder 1 and 2 together.
So the charge that fits her crime under the law was Murder since her confession indicated intent -- for both the act and the result.
Even though the ADA is bound by the facts, she chose to offer Carrie a plea deal and she didn't have to (because the confession had nailed all the elements). But the State Attorney's office is allowed discretion to appraise the evidence and make a plea. So she gave Carrie a gimme.
If you shoot a gun at someone intending to kill her, that's murder in the first degree.
If you shoot a gun at someone intending to wound her but you unintentionally kill her anyway, that's murder in the second degree.
If you shoot a gun intending only to scare but not hit the person at all and you end up hitting and killing the person, that's manslaughter.
See the difference? Murder 1 you intended the act (shooting) and the consequence (death). Murder 2 you intended the act but not the consequence. Manslaughter you didn't intend the act or the consequence. As I recall, New York, where SVU is premised, doesn't have a Murder 2 or rather they blend Murder 1 and 2 together.
So the charge that fits her crime under the law was Murder since her confession indicated intent -- for both the act and the result.
Even though the ADA is bound by the facts, she chose to offer Carrie a plea deal and she didn't have to (because the confession had nailed all the elements). But the State Attorney's office is allowed discretion to appraise the evidence and make a plea. So she gave Carrie a gimme.