Accidents happen. Sometimes you are in a serious car wreck. Other times an argument gets out of hand. However, when these situations escalate, and a person dies, the other party may be accused of manslaughter.
What is manslaughter?
In general, under Mississippi law, manslaughter takes place when a person unintentionally causes another person’s death, causes another’s death without premeditation or causes a person’s death in some other way that is less egregious than murder. Manslaughter is a felony crime in Mississippi and can lead to one year in jail, two to 20 years in prison and a minimum of $500 in fines. Two specific types of manslaughter under Mississippi law are deaths caused by culpable negligence and deaths caused in the “heat of passion.”
What is culpable negligence?
Culpable negligence is a reckless action, or failure to act, in a manner that places a person at an unreasonable and foreseeable risk of suffering a fatality. It is a crime, rather than the civil tort of negligence.
What is the “heat of passion”?
The “heat of passion” is an agitated state of mind, such as being furious or terrified, due to some sort of provocation that overcomes the ability of a reasonable person to control their actions. In comparison, someone who kills in “cold blood” has premeditated and deliberately carried out the fatal act.
Learn more about manslaughter in Mississippi
Manslaughter may not be as serious a crime as murder in Mississippi, but those who are accused of it still face an uphill battle. A conviction could lead to years behind bars, stiff fines and a criminal record that will follow them even after their sentence is served. Therefore, manslaughter charges should be taken very seriously. This post is for informational purposes only and does not contain legal advice. Those who want to learn more about criminal law in Mississippi are invited to explore our firm’s website for further information.