{"id":352089,"date":"2023-11-09T17:10:40","date_gmt":"2023-11-09T22:10:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/criminal\/criminal-charges\/involuntary-manslaughter-overview.html"},"modified":"2023-11-09T17:14:10","modified_gmt":"2023-11-09T22:14:10","slug":"involuntary-manslaughter-overview","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/criminal\/criminal-charges\/involuntary-manslaughter-overview.html","title":{"rendered":"Involuntary Manslaughter Overview"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Involuntary Manslaughter Overview<\/h1>\n\n
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\n By John Mascolo, Esq.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by John Mascolo, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Involuntary manslaughter usually refers to an unintentional killing. The basis of the charge may come from criminal negligence, recklessness, or dangerous or impaired driving. It differs from murder or voluntary manslaughter because the victim’s death was not intended.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

Involuntary manslaughter gets its name not from the voluntariness of the act that causes death but from the unintentional nature of the crime. In\u00a0murder<\/a>, someone causes the death of another person in a willful and often deliberate and premeditated act. With involuntary manslaughter charges, someone commits a voluntary act that may be unlawful but does not include a specific intent to end a human life.<\/p>\n

Read on for an overview of involuntary manslaughter, including definitions of the crime under state and federal law. The article shows how involuntary manslaughter differs from other homicide charges. It also discuss possible penalties and legal defenses.<\/p>\n

The consequences of an involuntary manslaughter conviction can be life-altering\u2014even though the act was unintentional. If you’re facing this type of charge, contact a criminal defense attorney<\/a> near you for legal help.<\/p>\n

Involuntary Manslaughter: The Basics<\/h2>\n

Federal and state law definitions of involuntary manslaughter vary. So, it’s a good idea to consult a criminal defense attorney who knows the law in a given case.<\/p>\n

Under federal law, involuntary manslaughter appears at\u00a018 U.S.C. Section 1112<\/a>. The law defines the crime as an unlawful killing of another without malice that occurs:<\/p>\n