Manslaughter (United States law)
crime in the United States
Manslaughter is a crime in the United States. Definitions can vary among jurisdictions, but manslaughter is invariably the act of causing the death of another person in a manner less culpable than murder. Three types of unlawful killings constitute manslaughter. First, there is voluntary manslaughter which is an intentional homicide committed in "sudden heat of passion" as the result of adequate provocation. Second, there is the form of involuntary manslaughter which is an unintentional homicide that was committed in a criminally negligent manner. Finally, there is the form of involuntary manslaughter which is an unintentional homicide that occurred during the commission or attempted commission of an unlawful act which does not amount to a felony (thereby triggering the felony-murder rule).
Laws in the United States
Voluntary manslaughter
Voluntary manslaughter involves the intentional killing of a person in which the offender did not have prior intent to kill. The defendant may have the intention of causing serious injury short of death.
The following are some examples of defenses that may be raised to mitigate murder to voluntary manslaughter:
Provocation
A killing that occurs after adequate provocation by an event which would cause a reasonable person to lose self-control is voluntary manslaughter. There must not be a cooling off period negating provocation.
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