This lesson you will be studying homicide, which is defined as the killing of a

Question

This lesson you will be studying homicide, which is defined as the killing of a human being by another human being. The two primary categories of homicide crimes are murder and manslaughter. As you will learn, there are different types of murder and manslaughter. This is a very complex area of the law. It is also one of the most tested areas of the law. Study it carefully. Murder and manslaughter both involve the unlawful killing of another human being. Why do you think the courts created two separate crimes?

Explanation / Answer

Homicide is generally the killing of one human being by a different human being based on various process and the killing depending upon the process generally depict the type of homicide it is. Murder and Man slaughter are generally two types in which is murder is furthermore classified in to first degree murder and second degree murder where as manslaughter is classified in to voluntary and involuntary manslaughter. I believe that the courts created two separate crimes because the process of crime involved in both the methods of killing are very much different and based on that the magnitude of punishment also differs.

First Degree murder - This is the most serious type of killing where the process involves intention to kill and will of the person to kill and this is planned and pre mediated, this can also be stated as cold blooded murder.

Second degree murder - In this kind the killing of the person is intentional and pre mediated but not pre planned.

Voluntary manslaughter - It is quite similar like the second degree murder and both occurs generally at the spur of the moment which changes everything. The circumstances and situation leading to such an incident differs in involuntary manslaughter and second degree murder

Involuntary Murder - It is not intentional but the act caused may make it seem intentional like an accident caused by drunk driving or death by medical negligence, etc.

The difference between the magnitude of murder and manslaughter is very clear which has made the courts create two separate crimes.

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