in the first degree

idiom

: of the most serious type : deserving the harshest punishment
She was accused of murder in the first degree.

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Becky Vreeland, 63, was charged with murder in the first degree — child abuse in connection with the 2022 death of her 3-year-old granddaughter, Riley Lynn Nolan, The Oklahoman reports. Kc Baker, People.com, 17 Oct. 2024 Finally, in 2010, Alcala was convicted a third time and sentenced to death for five counts of murder in the first degree. Jack Dunn, Variety, 18 Oct. 2024 Trump was convicted in a New York criminal trial earlier this year on 34 felony counts in the first degree of falsifying business records. Erin Doherty, Axios, 2 Oct. 2024 He was being held Sunday at the Craighead County jail and facing one count of battery in the first degree. Lena Miano, arkansasonline.com, 15 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for in the first degree 

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“In the first degree.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20the%20first%20degree. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.

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