Murder / Manslaughter

What are Murder and Manslaughter?

Homicide is the killing of another human being. The definition of homicide includes intentional killings, such as murder, and non-intentional killings, such as manslaughter. Homicides are felonies and carry very severe punishments.

Many people think murder is any killing of another person. Under the law, murder must involve direct action which causes another person’s death, a malicious intent to severely injury or kill another person, and the killing must be unlawful.

Manslaughter is the unlawful killing of a human being without malice, or planning. Voluntary manslaughter is the act of killing in response to adequate provocation. Involuntary manslaughter is when a person unintentionally kills another person due to recklessness or criminal negligence. For example, vehicular manslaughter is when a death occurs during a traffic violation such as drunk driving.

What are the consequences of a Murder or Manslaughter conviction?

There are severe consequences the come from a murder or manslaughter conviction, including Capital Punishment (for first-degree murder only), imprisonment, loss of the right to possess weapons, inability to get occupational licenses, and civil lawsuits.

Penalties may be affected by other factors including prior convictions, whether the defendant is currently on parole or probation, and the type of weapon used.

What are some defenses to a Murder or Manslaughter charge?

Possible defenses to a charge of murder include self-defense, defense of property or other persons, or duress/coercion (being forced to kill under the threat of physical harm to the defendant or others).

In a homicide charge, the plan for defense may not be to completely remove the charges, but instead to get them dropped to a less serious charge. For example, the intent may be to reduce a charge of murder to one of manslaughter.

Contacting a criminal defense lawyer in Los Angeles

If you are accused of murder or manslaughter, you should contact Ken Behzadi immediately to learn more about your rights, your defenses, and the legal system process.