Criminal homicide is one of the most serious charges you can face in Pennsylvania. While most people are familiar with the severity of a murder charge, other forms of criminal homicide, such as manslaughter, also carry life-altering penalties. A manslaughter conviction can result in lengthy prison sentences and massive fines, significantly impacting an individual’s future, career, and personal relationships. Understanding these charges and the penalties associated with them is crucial if you are being accused of manslaughter in Pennsylvania. Continue reading for more information and contact an experienced York County, PA manslaughter lawyer to discuss your case today.
What is Manslaughter in PA?
When it comes to the legal system, manslaughter is generally defined as the crime of killing another human being without malice aforethought. Essentially, it is the unlawful taking of life in a way that does not amount to murder. Pennsylvania law recognizes both voluntary and involuntary manslaughter.
Voluntary manslaughter occurs when a person kills an individual without lawful justification, and at the time of the killing, they are acting under a “sudden and intense passion” resulting from serious provocation by either the individual killed or another individual whom the offender intended to kill, but they negligently or accidentally cause the death of the other individual.
Involuntary manslaughter is when an individual is killed because of an unlawful or lawful act in a reckless or grossly negligent manner. The key difference between the two is that an individual guilty of voluntary manslaughter intends to kill the victim, and an individual guilty of involuntary manslaughter does not intend to take a life. However, both offenses lack malice aforethought and were not premeditated or planned out.
How is Manslaughter Penalized?
Manslaughter can be graded as either a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the specific circumstances of the situation. Voluntary manslaughter is generally considered a first-degree felony, and involuntary manslaughter is typically charged as a first-degree misdemeanor. However, involuntary manslaughter can be enhanced to a second-degree felony if the victim was younger than 12 and was in the care or custody of the offender.
Below are the standard sentencing guidelines for each degree of manslaughter.
- First-degree felony: Up to 20 years in prison and fines up to $25,000
- Second-degree felony: Up to 10 years in prison and fines up to $25,000
- First-degree misdemeanor: Up to 5 years in prison and fines up to $10,000
A manslaughter conviction can have additional consequences like a permanent criminal record, the loss of or inability to obtain professional licenses, the loss of the right to own or use a firearm, and more.
Understanding your charges and legal options is crucial to protecting your rights and future. Reach out to a skilled criminal defense attorney for more information and experienced legal advice today.
