Voluntary Manslaughter:
When you kill another person during a sudden quarrel or in the heat of passion, you may be charged under Penal Code 192(a), California’s voluntary manslaughter law. The difference between voluntary manslaughter and first-degree murder is the absence of malice, since the killing is done spontaneously in a voluntary case. If convicted, you may face 3 to 11 years in the California State Prison.
Overview of California Voluntary Manslaughter Laws
Homicide, the unlawful killing of a human being, may result in a criminal charge of murder or manslaughter. In a murder case, the prosecutor must establish the defendant’s “malice aforethought,” which refers to the defendant’s intentions, decisions, and planning related to the homicide. Malice may be shown through deliberate planning or participation in reckless, dangerous activity. When an individual commits a homicide without malice, the state might charge the defendant with manslaughter instead of murder. The difference between murder and voluntary manslaughter often focuses on the defendant’s state of mind at the time of homicide.
California state laws define three types of manslaughter: voluntary, involuntary, and vehicular. For a voluntary manslaughter charge, the prosecutor must show that the defendant committed homicide during a sudden quarrel or while in the heat of passion. The events and circumstances surrounding the homicide — the quarrel or provocation –establish a lack of malice that would otherwise result in a murder charge. The prosecutor must still show that the defendant had the intent to inflict severe bodily injury or death on the victim in order to prove voluntary manslaughter.
Acts that qualify as provocation depend on the circumstances surrounding the homicide. Some common acts of provocation include mutual combat in which both the defendant and victim equally participated, murder of a family member, or adultery committed by the defendant’s spouse.
If a period of time has passed between the act of provocation and the homicide, California laws provide the prosecutor with the basis for a murder charge rather than a manslaughter charge. State laws require a murder charge if the defendant had a sufficient “cooling period.” If the defendant committed the homicide after the cooling period, the prosecutor may be able to show that the defendant had enough time to premeditate or plan the killing.
Involuntary Manslaughter:
You can be charged under Penal Code 192(b) PC California’s involuntary manslaughter law when you kill another person without malice or intent to kill, but with conscious disregard for human life. If convicted under PC 192(b), you may face two to four years in the California State Prison.
Overview of California Involuntary Manslaughter Laws
Homicide, the unlawful killing of a human being, may result in a criminal charge of murder or manslaughter. California state laws include separate definitions for voluntary manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter, and vehicular manslaughter. Involuntary manslaughter most commonly refers to unintentional homicides that occur during the commission of non-felony crimes or reckless conduct during lawful activities. In California, vehicular homicide and involuntary manslaughter are separate crimes with distinct definitions and punishments.
Homicide during the commission of a felony often results in a murder charge rather than a manslaughter charge. When a killing occurred during the commission of a crime that is not a felony, the prosecutor must prove that the defendant had a criminal intent to commit the underlying unlawful act. If the defendant did not intend to engage in the crime that resulted in homicide, the state may be unable to prove involuntary manslaughter. The defendant may be able to establish a lack of intent by showing a reasonable mistake or lack of knowledge.
An involuntary manslaughter can also happen during lawful activities that occur recklessly, carelessly, or unreasonably. A prosecutor might prosecute a defendant for a homicide that occurred due to the defendant’s careless behavior related to what would otherwise be a lawful activity.