Source: https://www.shouselaw.com/voluntary_manslaughter.html
Timestamp: 2019-04-23 16:58:27+00:00

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Voluntary manslaughter is a lesser offense to murder. Prosecutors rarely file Penal Code 192(a) as an original charge. The offense usually comes up in murder cases, where the accused admits to killing the victim, but seeks to have the charge reduced from murder to manslaughter.
Voluntary manslaughter is a felony in California with a sentencing range of probation with up to one year in county jail, or three (3), six (6) or eleven (11) years in state prison. Murder, by contrast, carries a sentence of 15 years to life in state prison, or 25 years to life in the case of first-degree murder.
you either violate California's murder law or California's voluntary manslaughter law. The difference between the two is whether you acted with "malice aforethought".
With respect to provocation, California courts have not established set criteria for what constitutes "sufficient" provocation. They have, however, ruled that it can't be slight or remote.
upon hearing a helicopter fly overhead, he suffered Vietnam war flashbacks that caused him to "snap".
But as the California Supreme Court has ruled, "Defendant's evidence that he was intoxicated, that he suffered various mental deficiencies, that he had a psychological dysfunction due to traumatic experiences in the Vietnam War, and that he just "snapped" when he heard the helicopter, may have satisfied the subjective element of heat of passion.
The following are examples of some cases where courts held sufficient provocation existed to reduce murder to voluntary manslaughter under Penal Code 192 (a).
In People v. Breverman, the court held that the defendant was entitled to a voluntary manslaughter jury instruction when a "mob" of young men -- armed with dangerous weapons and harboring a specific hostile intent -- trespassed upon his property, acting in a menacing manner. The group's conduct included challenging the defendant to fight and using the weapons to batter and smash the defendant's car which was parked in the defendant's driveway, only a short distance from his front door.
In People v. Brooks, the defendant was at the crime scene where his brother had just been stabbed to death. People at the scene told the defendant who the alleged murderer was, and this person was also present at the scene. The defendant attacked the alleged suspect, but police broke up the fight. Defendant then left and returned two hours later with his gun when he shot and killed the alleged suspect.
In People v. Borchers, the defendant was prompted to kill his lover based on a series of events that included admitting to infidelity, trying to jump out of his moving car, taking a gun and threatening to kill herself, pleading with the defendant to kill her, and taunting him by asking if he was too "chicken" to pull the gun's trigger.
In contrast, the following are examples of cases where courts held that there was not sufficient provocation to reduce murder to voluntary manslaughter.
There are a variety of legal defenses to Penal Code 192(a) voluntary manslaughter that a skilled California criminal defense lawyer can present on your behalf. The following are some of the most common examples.
being raped, maimed, robbed, or the victim of some other "forcible and atrocious crime".
Example: You and your friend are at a bar. A drunk patron picks a fight with your friend. The two of you try to leave, but the aggressor follows you outside and lunges toward your friend with a knife, threatening to kill him. You attack the aggressor, manage to grab his knife and stab him instead. He subsequently dies from the knife wound.
Given these circumstances, California's self-defense laws would likely excuse your conduct.
Example: Let's use the example from above but change some of the facts. Let's say that the drunk patron still picks a fight with your friend. The two of you try to leave, but the aggressor (who is considerably larger than your friend) follows you outside. He pushes your friend and taunts him, in effect challenging him to a fight. He doesn't appear to have a weapon. Because you fear that the aggressor will hurt your friend, you pull out your knife and stab and kill him.
Given these facts, while it's true that your friend may have been seriously hurt, it was unreasonable to believe that deadly force was necessary to prevent that danger. As a result, this type of imperfect self-defense would not excuse voluntary manslaughter.
Example: Mary, who has a history of severe mental illness, has a fight with her mother. Her mother, who truly can't deal with Mary's illness, screams out, "Oh, God, why don't you just kill me!" Mary, believing that she would be helping her mother by complying with what she believes is a "wish"...strangles and kills her mom. Given this type of scenario, Mary, who would otherwise be guilty of violating California's voluntary manslaughter law, would likely prevail on the insanity defense.
Example: Again, take the bar fight example from above. But changing it slightly, let's say that after the aggressor followed your friend out of the bar, the aggressor took a swing at your friend. Your friend then takes a swing at the aggressor, connects his punch, and hits him so hard that he falls back and hits his head on the back step outside the bar. He becomes unconscious and dies the next day.
Given these facts, the death was truly an accident. Even though the fight took place in the heat of passion and with sufficient provocation -- which would ordinarily be sufficient to reduce a murder charge to manslaughter -- this accidental nature of the death completely absolves your friend of either charge.
Again, it is important to understand that the crime of California voluntary manslaughter is, in itself, a legal defense in a murder case. If you are charged with Penal Code 187 PC murder, but can prove that you acted in the heat of passion or during a sudden quarrel, your potential state prison sentence, as well as your other penalties (discussed in the next section) will be reduced significantly.
If convicted of violating Penal Code 192(a) PC California's voluntary manslaughter law, you face three, six, or eleven years in the California state prison.20 By contrast, the penalty for committing Penal Code 187 PC murder is a minimum of 15-years-to-life and could even result in execution.
There are several offenses that are related to California's voluntary manslaughter laws as they, too, involve unlawful killings. Some examples are described below.
Penal Code 187 PC California's murder law and voluntary manslaughter are very closely related. Both crimes involve an intent to kill. The difference between the two is that murder requires malice, that is, a willful and wanton disregard for human life. Voluntary manslaughter does not.
And although a murder charge may be reduced to manslaughter when there is substantial evidence of provocation in a "heat of passion" or "sudden quarrel" situation, manslaughter may be charged on its own when the prosecution doesn't believe it can establish murder.
Example: Mahone and Reed began taunting Ricardo and Steven, two men whom they believed were a homosexual couple. At first, Ricardo and Steven ignored the taunts and began walking home. When they reached Ricardo's home, Ricardo returned the insults. Ricardo and Steven entered the house and Mahone and Reed walked away.
In a case such as this, where the prosecutor may be unsure about securing a murder conviction, he/she could opt to instead charge voluntary manslaughter. Both charges require a common element -- that is, that the defendant unlawfully killed another person. But he/she is more likely to obtain a manslaughter conviction without having to prove the additional element of malice that is required for murder.
The significance of attempted murder to California's voluntary manslaughter law is that if you are charged with attempted murder, your California criminal defense attorney could seek to have the charge reduced to the lesser offense of "attempted voluntary manslaughter."
Example: Defendant and his girlfriend went to defendant's drug dealer's house to buy drugs. When he and his girlfriend got in a fight, the dealer interjected which upset the defendant. Further angered by the fact that the defendant believed he was being "cheated" in the deal, he challenged the dealer to a fight outside. As they were getting ready to go outside, the defendant pulled out a gun and said "I should kill you". When the dealer raised his hands, basically telling the defendant to leave him alone, the defendant shot him. Because of immediate medical care, the dealer did not die.
at the time you kill the other person.27 By contrast when you accidentally kill another person, you are not violating any laws at the time of the killing.
second-degree DUI murder (also known as Watson murder).
What distinguishes this offense from first-degree murder is that in second-degree DUI murder, there is no intent to kill another person. If convicted, you face the same penalties that are imposed in connection with a second-degree murder. That is, 15-years-to life in the state prison.
If you or loved one is charged with Penal Code 192(a) PC voluntary manslaughter and you are looking to hire an attorney for representation, we invite you to contact us at Shouse Law Group. We can provide a free consultation in office or by phone. We have local offices in Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley, Pasadena, Long Beach, Orange County, Ventura, San Bernardino, Rancho Cucamonga, Riverside, San Diego, Sacramento, Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose and throughout California.
7People v. Steele (2002) 27 Cal.4th 1230, 1253.
9People v. Brooks (1986) 185 Cal.App.3d 687.
10People v. Borchers (1958) 50 Cal.2d 321.
11People v. Lucas (1997) 55 Cal.App.4th 721, 739.
12People v. Kanawyer (2003) 113 Cal.App.4th 1233, 1246-1247.
13People v. Fenenbock (1996) 46 Cal.App.4th 1688, 1704.
14People v. Rich (1988) 45 Cal.3d 1036, 1112.
18Rancho Cucamonga criminal defense attorney Michael Scafiddi uses his former experience as an Ontario Police Officer to represent clients accused of violating California's manslaughter laws throughout the Inland Empire, including San Bernardino, Rancho Cucamonga, Riverside, Banning, Fontana, Joshua Tree, Barstow, Hemet, Palm Springs, and Victorville.
22Facts based on People v. Rios (2000) 23 Cal.4th 450.
25Facts loosely based on People v. Van Ronk (1985), endnote 24 above.
See also California Penal Code 1170(h)(1) ("Except as provided in paragraph (3), a felony punishable pursuant to this subdivision where the term is not specified in the underlying offense shall be punishable by a term of imprisonment in a county jail for 16 months, or two or three years.").
34People v. Watson (1981), 30 Cal.3d 290.
35The Watson admonition which is on all DUI plea Tahl waiver forms states "I understand that being under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or both, impairs my ability to safely operate a motor vehicle, and is extremely dangerous to human life to drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or both. If I continue to drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or both, and as a result of my driving, someone is killed, I can be charged [in California] with murder."
36Please feel free to contact our Nevada criminal defense attorneys Michael Becker and Neil Shouse for any questions relating to Nevada's murder laws. Our Nevada law offices are located in Reno and Las Vegas.

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