Sample Solution

Homicide is the illegal killing of a human. There are three main classifications of homicide: murder, manslaughter and justifiable homicide.

Murder is when a person intentionally kills another with malice aforethought or premeditation. This act can be planned out in advance or occurring “in the heat of the moment” and it carries harsher penalties than other types of homicides (Grossman & Miller, 2012). In most jurisdictions, a murder charge also applies if an individual’s reckless behavior results in death such as operating a vehicle while intoxicated (Chambliss & Field, 2011).

Manslaughter is an unintentional killing caused by negligence or recklessness which does not involve any premeditated intent to harm another person. It may result from excessive force used during self-defense without proper justification or extreme negligence towards another person’s health and safety (Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute, 2020). Manslaughter charges may vary depending on jurisdiction but generally carry lighter sentences than those for murder convictions.

Justifiable homicide occurs when one defends themselves from attack using force that leads to the death of their assailant (Robinson & Laufer 2010). This type of killing has become increasingly difficult to prosecute due to more lenient laws being passed related to self-defense rights over recent years. Consequently, many cases involving this classification may only receive charges ranging from misdemeanors up through voluntary manslaughter convictions at most (Kentucky Criminal Law Journal 2019).