Under the common law, homicide was defined as the unjustified and unexcused killing of another human being.
Modern statutes break homicides down into different crimes.
As such, in studying homicide law, it is important to keep focused on what jurisdiction you are dealing with. Table 6-1 on the next page breaks down the different types of homicide statutes with their key components. There are three general types of statutes that deal with homicide law. The first is the common law. Under the common law, homicide could be either murder, voluntary manslaughter, or involuntary manslaughter.