Manslaughter 101

Manslaughter is a homicide-related offense. The difference between it and murder is that the defendant's guilt can be reduced because no deliberation or malice was found. Although there was an unlawful killing, as with first and second degree murder, the circumstances surrounding the death go some way to explaining the defendant's actions, at least in the eyes of the law. This means that in a manslaughter prosecution, the defendant has already admitted to killing the victim. The question is more likely to revolve around whether or not the defendant acted in a reasonable manner at the time of the killing.