Manslaughter is the legal term for the act of killing another individual with mitigating factors that, in the eyes of the law, make the accused less culpable than those found guilty of murder.

Manslaughter can be classified as either:

  • Voluntary manslaughter, in which there is an intention to kill or cause serious harm (proved via some act of forethought). In this case, the accused can prove that he/she was provoked and operating under diminished capacity or operating under the notion of an “imperfect self-defense" (meaning, he or she believed to be acting in self-defense, but was irrational).
  • Involuntary manslaughter, in which there is no forethought or intention to kill. Involuntary manslaughter may be further broken down into constructive manslaughter (when someone unintentionally kills while committing another legal act) and criminally negligent manslaughter (when someone unintentionally kills in the course of behaving negligently or recklessly, such as intoxicated manslaughter or vehicular manslaughter).

In the State of North Carolina, voluntary manslaughter is classified as a Class D felony (punishable by up to 40 years in prison and/or expensive fines) while involuntary manslaughter is classified as a Class F felony (punishable by up to 20 in prison and/or hefty fines).

The Best Defense Against Manslaughter Charges in Raleigh

If you or a loved one is facing manslaughter charges in Raleigh, Wake County or anywhere in North Carolina, schedule a consultation with a leading Wake County criminal defense attorney to:

  • Learn more about your legal rights
  • Get an expert assessment of your case
  • Receive professional advice regarding the best manner in which to resolve your case
  • Obtain aggressive and committed defense representation in your case

Attorney Curtis High has been practicing law for almost 20 years. He is dedicated to providing each of his clients with professional, personalized and aggressive representation in all legal proceedings, including bail hearings, trial, probation hearings, etc. His primary goal is to help each of his clients resolve their case(s) as efficiently and favorably as possible.

To schedule a consultation with a Raleigh manslaughter lawyer, contact our law firm today.