Opinion ID: 166669
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Involuntary Manslaughter

Text: 27 Mr. Visinaiz argues that the district court erred in failing to adequately instruct the jury on the distinction between the malice present in second degree murder and the malice present in involuntary manslaughter. Once again, we review for plain error. Smith, 413 F.3d at 1273. 28 There is a similarity between second degree murder and involuntary manslaughter, insofar as they both involve the unlawful killing of a human being. See Brown, 287 F.3d at 974; see also United States v. Wood, 207 F.3d 1222, 1228 (10th Cir.2000). The difference between these two crimes lies in their respective required mental states for culpability. See Serawop, 410 F.3d at 666; Brown, 287 F.3d at 974; Wood, 207 F.3d 1222, 1228-29. Second degree murder requires a showing of malice, whereas involuntary manslaughter requires a showing of gross negligence. That is to say, both involve unlawful acts, but while second degree murder is that of a depraved heart and reckless and wanton or a gross deviation from a reasonable standard of care, involuntary manslaughter amounts to gross negligence or a wanton or reckless disregard for human life. Brown, 287 F.3d at 974-75 (internal quotations omitted); see also Wood 207 F.3d at 1228; United States v. Soundingsides, 820 F.2d 1232, 1237 (10th Cir.1987). We have repeatedly held that the substantive distinction [between these two crimes] is the severity of the reckless and wanton behavior. Brown, 287 F.3d at 975 (emphasis supplied). 29 In this case, after extensive consultation with counsel, the district court responded as follows to a jury question regarding the meaning of intent to kill. 30 [S]econd degree murder is a general intent crime requiring malice aforethought, an element that may be established, among other ways, by evidence of conduct which is reckless and wanton, and a gross deviation from a reasonable standard of care, of such a nature that the jury is warranted in inferring that the defendant was aware of the serious risk of death or serious bodily harm. 31 [I]nvoluntary manslaughter is the unlawful killing of a human being without malice in the commission in an unlawful manner, or without due caution and circumspection of a lawful act which might produce death. The defendant's acts must amount to gross negligence, defined as wanton or reckless disregard for human life, and he must have had either actual knowledge or reason to know that his conduct was a threat to the lives of others. 32 The substantive distinction is the severity of the reckless and wanton behavior ... [second] degree murder involves reckless and wanton disregard for human life that is extreme in nature, while involuntary manslaughter involves reckless and wanton disregard that is not extreme in nature. 33 Of course, you need to look at all of the instructions in this case in reaching a verdict. 34 VIII R. at 759-60 (emphasis supplied). The jury instructions that dealt with involuntary manslaughter, Instructions 33-35, clearly comport with what is required in order to correctly state the governing law and provide the jury with an ample understanding of the issues and the applicable standards. Smith, 413 F.3d at 1273 (internal citation and quotations omitted). The court's response was not in error, plain or otherwise. What is particularly troubling about the complaint on appeal about this instruction is that counsel, who made his concerns known to the court and approved this instruction after the court incorporated modifications, now contends that this instruction is particularly egregious in light of his comments, undecipherable, vague, violative of due process, and structural error. Such an approach reminds us that all too often items claimed as plain error on appeal take on a significance and characterization they never had below. It is also apparent that this is a particularly egregious case of invited error. For while it is clear that Mr. Visinaiz objected to Instruction 36's predecessor, see VII R. at 653, the district court then adopted Mr. Visinaiz's proffered instruction on imperfect self-defense. If there is any error here, a challenge thereto is precluded as invited error. See United States v. Burson, 952 F.2d 1196, 1203 (10th Cir.1991). But we see no error in the imperfect self-defense instruction and its relationship to involuntary manslaughter. II R. Doc. 252, J. Instr. 36.