If you are facing charges related to someone’s death, you could be understandably worried about the potential consequences. Depending on the circumstances, there are varying degrees to the charges you might face for murder or manslaughter in Nebraska. At Monzón, Guerra & Chipman, Attorneys At Law, we feel is it important for you and others to understand the differences.
Let us say that you were charged with manslaughter after a car accident that claimed the life of another driver. According to the Nebraska Legislature, the definition of manslaughter is the accidental death of someone else. If you were speeding or intoxicated before losing control of your vehicle and getting into a fatal crash, you might be charged with involuntary manslaughter. Involuntary manslaughter involves reckless or criminal negligence resulting in an unintentional death, rather than circumstances out of your control, such as an icy road, that resulted in an accident.
On the other hand, if evidence came to light suggesting that road rage was involved in the crash, voluntary manslaughter might be the charge you face. This involves an intentional act committed in the heat of passion, but without the premeditated intent to kill anyone. Murder, however, involves true intent to kill or cause serious injury. A murder charge usually involves allegations that someone made plans beforehand to cause the death of another.
Regardless of alleged intent, manslaughter and murder are felony charges and require a strong and skilled defense. Our page on murder and manslaughter goes into further detail on the possible penalties you could face for such a charge.