For a reduction in the charge of a crime that serious there must have been good legal reason behind it. But what that information might be, is not disclosed in the question, so there is no way of speculating on the answer.
First degree murder is premeditated. Second degree murder is intentional but without premeditation. Third degree is criminally negligent.
25 years jail time in state of maryland
First Degree Murder
First degree murder: premeditated and intentional killing of another, and culpable mental state. Second degree murder: knowingly killed someone.
First-degree murder is premeditated and intentional, while second-degree murder is committed without premeditation but with malice aforethought. First-degree murder typically carries a higher level of intent and planning than second-degree murder.
1st degree is worse because you get a longer prison sentence and you plan on the murder, you go into the crime intentionally killing that person.
Although the wording may be different in different states, the meaning is the same. The crime of first-degree murder is the act of committing an unlawful killing that is willful or premeditated.
1st degree murder is worse.
A first degree murder charge gets you life w/o parole in most cases.
Sentences are case specific. In some states, first degree murder can be punished with death.
Conclusively prove you did not and could not have done the murder.
First Degree Murder means that the crime was pre-meditated. Second Degree Murder means that death was caused but the actual killing may not have been pre-meditated beforehand.