Criminal Lawyer in Rhode Island

Q. What is the difference between manslaughter and murder?

A. Manslaughter is the term for killing a human in a manner considered less culpable than murder. Mens rea, or state of mind, is important when distinguishing between the two. Murder requires intent to kill, called malice, or malice aforethought, which involves an unintentional death but a willful disregard for life. Manslaughter is broken down into voluntary and involuntary categories. Involuntary manslaughter is accidental killing whereas voluntary manslaughter involves aforethought but is mitigated by the circumstances and state of mind. Crimes of passion and cases involving provocation fall into this category.