Involuntary manslaughter involves the unintentional killing of another person as a result of criminal negligence or recklessness, sometimes brought on by car accidents or medical malpractice. The severe consequences for the communities and families of the victims prompt the state’s aggressive prosecution of involuntary manslaughter cases.
Because of the harsh and potentially life-altering repercussions, facing these charges can be intimidating. There is potential imprisonment, heavy fines, and a lifelong criminal record, so the stakes are high. Hiring a criminal defense lawyer with experience handling these cases will help you better defend yourself against these charges. At Desert Defense Lawyers, we dedicate our time to evaluating your case, investigating the circumstances, and developing an ideal defense strategy to protect your rights. Our Palm Desert defense team is here to defend you if you are facing manslaughter or related charges.
Manslaughter Vs. Murder Under California Law
While murder, voluntary manslaughter, and involuntary manslaughter all involve the tragic loss of life, they are distinct offenses with different levels of culpability. Murder is defined as the willful and premeditated killing of another person. Premeditation indicates a calculated and deliberate intent to kill another person. It involves taking time to reflect and plan before carrying out the act. Voluntary manslaughter, while also intentional, occurs under extreme provocation or in the heat of passion, reducing the culpability level.
On the other hand, per Penal Code 192(b), involuntary manslaughter occurs when someone kills another person by carrying out a legal act carelessly or recklessly or by committing an illegal act that is not a felony. Interestingly, deaths resulting from operating a vehicle are not covered by this section. Penal Code 192(c) would apply.
The law’s definition of involuntary manslaughter sets out the elements of the crime. You are only guilty of involuntary manslaughter if prosecutors prove certain elements beyond a reasonable doubt, specifically:
- You either committed an illegal act that is not a felony or a lawful act with gross negligence or recklessly — Gross negligence occurs when you consciously disregard a significant and unjustifiable risk. You were aware of the potential harm but chose to ignore it. On the other hand, recklessness can involve a failure to perceive a risk that a reasonable person would recognize. In this case, you are not consciously aware of the danger.
- There is a direct link between your actions and the resulting death — Prosecutors must demonstrate that there were no intervening factors and that your illegal or careless actions were the direct cause of the death.
- The murder was unintentional — There is no requirement for an intent to kill in involuntary manslaughter, unlike in murder or voluntary manslaughter. Instead, prosecutors must demonstrate that your acts were careless or reckless, even though they were inadvertent.
Here is a more detailed look at the elements:
What Constitutes a Crime or a Legal Act in an Unlawful Manner
Prosecutors must prove that you committed a crime, a misdemeanor, or a non-dangerous felony, even if it was a minor offense like an infraction. Further, the crime must have directly led to the victim's death. For example, driving under the influence and causing a fatal accident qualifies as an unlawful act.
On the other hand, you could also be charged if you carried out a legal activity recklessly or negligently that caused someone to die. Examples include:
- Operating machinery without following the necessary safety procedures
- Handling a firearm irresponsibly
The prosecution must demonstrate that your actions significantly deviated from the standard of care expected of a reasonable person and directly caused the fatal outcome. Freak accidents are not enough for a conviction.
You could face felony murder in some instances. The felony-murder rule states that you are liable for murder even in cases where the death occurred accidentally while committing an intrinsically dangerous crime. This strict liability offense does not require intent to kill. The felony murder rule makes people liable for killings that take place during specific felonies. All parties involved in a felony-related death could face murder charges, even if they were not the ones who initiated the killing.
The underlying crime must pose a considerable risk of death or serious bodily harm to people for it to be considered felony murder. Felonies typically considered inherently dangerous include:
- Rape
- Burglary
- Robbery
- Arson
- Kidnapping
Criminal Negligence
The prosecution must establish beyond a reasonable doubt that you behaved negligently in an involuntary manslaughter case. Criminal negligence is characterized by wanton, deliberate indifference to other people's safety, and reckless disdain for human life. Your behavior must be so extreme that it significantly deviates from the standard of care expected of a reasonable person. You must either be aware of this risk or should have been aware of it.
To prove that your carelessness was the direct cause of the victim's death, prosecutors must additionally prove proximate causation. This link connects your actions to the fatal outcome. The prosecution must show that your criminal negligence was a substantial factor in the death and that the death was a foreseeable consequence of your actions. In doing so, he/she will establish the proximate cause.
An intervening cause, like an entirely unexpected incident, can break the chain of causation and absolve you of criminal liability. Nevertheless, the intervening cause must be genuinely exceptional and unrelated to absolve you.
You Caused the Victim’s Death
Other than proving the victim’s death was a direct consequence of your actions, the prosecution must also prove that the death was a probable consequence of your actions. They have to demonstrate that a reasonable person in your circumstances would have foreseen the possibility of death as a result of your actions. For instance, driving under the influence significantly raises the possibility of a catastrophic collision, which increases the likelihood of a fatal outcome.
The prosecution must also prove that the death was a natural result of your conduct. The death should not be an unexpected or remote consequence but a foreseeable outcome of your actions. For example, misusing explosives and setting off an explosion that kills someone would be a logical conclusion of your careless actions.
The court could decide that involuntary manslaughter charges are not appropriate if there is insufficient evidence to establish a direct connection between your actions and the tragic outcome or to demonstrate that the death was an expected consequence of your behavior.
Involuntary Manslaughter Based on a Legal Duty of Care
The law imposes a legal duty of care in various situations, and unfortunately, involuntary manslaughter can result when this duty is not met. When the law imposes a duty of care, you must act responsibly towards others. This obligation could arise when operating heavy machinery, driving, or providing personal care, especially in healthcare facilities.
If you fail to fulfill this obligation and your careless or reckless behavior causes someone to die, you could face involuntary manslaughter charges. These allegations may arise, for example, from neglecting a person in your care who passes away.
In these scenarios, the law holds you legally liable because your failure to meet the required standard of care directly caused the death. Some of the relationships and situations that establish a legal duty of care include the following:
- Caregivers and those under their care — Healthcare providers and other medical personnel are examples of caregivers who need to offer proper care. If someone in your care passes away due to your carelessness, there may be legal repercussions.
- Drivers and other road users — Your responsibility as a driver is to drive safely and follow traffic laws. If your careless driving causes a deadly accident, you could face involuntary manslaughter charges.
- Employer and employees — It is your duty as an employer to provide a secure workplace. You risk facing involuntary manslaughter charges if an employee dies as a result of your carelessness in ensuring their safety.
- Property owners and guests — You have an obligation to maintain a safe and secure environment on your property. If a visitor passes away due to a dangerous condition brought on by negligence, you can be held liable.
- Manufacturers and end-users — Manufacturers are responsible for guaranteeing the safety of their products. If a defective product causes a deadly accident due to your carelessness, you will likely face involuntary manslaughter charges.
Possible Legal Defenses in Involuntary Manslaughter Cases
Involuntary manslaughter charges are grave charges, and the potential consequences, as you will see below, are grave. You, therefore, need to contact a criminal defense attorney with experience handling these cases. Some of the defenses they could use include the following:
a) You Acted in Self-Defense or Defense of Others
You have a legal right to defend yourself and others. You could claim self-defense if you were acting to avert impending harm as a defense against the involuntary manslaughter charges. When someone threatens you, you have the right to defend yourself using reasonable force. You may contend that your actions, which unintentionally caused someone to die, were intended to prevent harm to you or others.
The Castle Doctrine extends your right to self-defense to your home or property. If you acted to protect yourself from an intruder or immediate threat inside your home, this doctrine supports your right to use force without retreating. This concept applies if the actions that resulted in the fatality were in reaction to a real threat to your house.
You must establish the following to defend yourself against accusations of involuntary manslaughter effectively:
- Prove that you were, in fact, in immediate danger of injury.
- Demonstrate that the force you applied was appropriate for the threat and reasonable. Excessive force can undermine your defense.
- The Castle Doctrine could exempt you from proving that you tried to back down before resorting to force. According to the doctrine, you can defend yourself in your house.
- Show that the use of force was appropriate given the circumstances. If there was a grave risk of injury or death, lethal force might have been necessary.
It is possible to successfully refute the criminal negligence necessary for an involuntary manslaughter conviction by pleading self-defense. You might avoid a conviction if you took legal action to defend yourself or others.
b) The Death Was An Accident
You can claim the death was accidental as a defense, even though the situation is tragic. You can argue that an unexpected accident caused the death rather than criminal negligence. You must demonstrate that, even though your conduct resulted in death, it was not intended to inflict harm or have any criminal intent.
To bolster an accidental death defense, you ought to:
- Demonstrate a lack of intent — Assure the audience that you had no malicious intent. There should be no doubt that your actions do not indicate intentional or willful harm.
- Show unpredictability — Make the case that you could not have predicted the deadly outcome of the event and that it was unforeseeable. Emphasize that the death was not the consequence of reckless or negligent behavior but rather an unforeseen accident.
- Provide supporting evidence — Provide evidence that the incident was accidental. This could include information from expert witnesses, witness testimony, or other pertinent sources.
- Emphasize reasonable conduct — Stress that, despite your precautions, the accident occurred and that you acted properly in the given circumstances.
You can successfully refute the prosecution's allegation of criminal negligence, which is necessary for involuntary manslaughter, by demonstrating that the death was an accident. You can get the charges against you dropped or reduced if you can prove that the death was the result of a terrible accident rather than criminal behavior.
c) You Were Falsely Accused
You can also contend that you were falsely accused and, hence, wrongfully arrested for killing another. You have the right to refute any false allegations that you were the reason behind the victim's death.
While asserting this defense, start by proving that you were not at the scene of the incident or that you could not have committed the act. Provide evidence that you were somewhere else. Video footage, witness statements, or other documentation that proves your alibi will go a long way toward proving your case.
Your attorney will examine and refute the evidence that the prosecution has presented to support the charges. Demonstrate that the evidence was mishandled or that it does not connect you to the crime. Bringing up contradictions or inconsistencies in the charges can weaken the prosecution's case.
Additionally, present counter-evidence that supports your innocence. This could include witness testimony contradicting the false claims, expert opinions, or forensic evidence. You can successfully challenge the charges by demonstrating that another party was involved in the victim's demise.
If you can successfully demonstrate the claims are untrue, the charges against you may be dropped or dismissed.
Potential Consequences of an Involuntary Manslaughter Conviction
The consequences for breaking Penal Code 192(b) are grave. If found guilty, you will face the following:
- You may have to pay steep fines of up to $10,000
- A two- to four-year sentence in a state prison
- Probation in lieu of imprisonment — The court could place you on probation. However, probation usually comes with stringent requirements, including house arrest, mandatory drug testing, and community service.
If you unintentionally kill someone with a firearm or another dangerous or deadly weapon, you could be subject to a strike under California's Three Strikes Law.
The Three Strikes Law in California increases punishments for repeat offenders. Using a firearm or a dangerous or deadly weapon to kill someone might be considered a violent or serious crime. This classification counts as a strike on your record.
According to this law, a strike carries heavier consequences for subsequent felonies. If this is your first offense, you will receive the usual term for the felony, as outlined above. Your prison sentence doubles with a second offense. A third offense might result in a sentence ranging from 25 years to life.
Civil Proceedings in Involuntary Manslaughter Cases
Involuntary manslaughter can trigger civil suits seeking compensation, which proceed separately from your criminal prosecution.
The victim's relatives may bring a wrongful death claim in civil court to obtain monetary compensation. Their goal is to secure compensation for the losses occasioned by the death of their loved one. These losses include funeral costs, missed income, and psychological suffering. Criminal processes prioritize punishment and deterrence, whereas civil suits aim to provide financial redress to the parties who have suffered harm.
Even if you are acquitted in the criminal case, you might still face liability in civil court. This is because different types of trials have different standards of proof. For example, although civil proceedings only need a preponderance of the evidence, that is, a greater likelihood than not, that you were the cause of the death, criminal cases require proof beyond a reasonable doubt.
Find a Manslaughter Defense Attorney Near Me
Because of the seriousness of the charges and the possible outcomes, dealing with involuntary manslaughter charges can be stressful. Notwithstanding the gravity of these accusations, an experienced criminal defense lawyer can assist you in navigating the intricate legal proceedings, defending your rights, and securing the best possible legal outcome.
At Desert Defense Lawyers in Palm Desert, our team will obtain important evidence, conduct a comprehensive investigation into the facts of your case, and point out flaws in the prosecution's case. We will walk you through each stage of the court case, ensuring you are aware of your options and the consequences of each choice. With our knowledge and steadfast assistance, you can face the charges with more assurance and a well-thought-out plan.
Call us at 888-293-0396 so that we can safeguard your rights and your future.
