Silver Spring Manslaughter Defense Attorney

Manslaughter Defense Lawyer Serving Clients in Silver Spring, MD

Manslaughter is one of the most serious violent crimes a person can be charged with. There are two types of manslaughter charges in Maryland—voluntary and involuntary. Both charges involve the unlawful killing of another person. Voluntary manslaughter is largely the same as a murder charge, but it occurs without malice or forethought—meaning you did not plan to kill the other person and were provoked or were in the midst of a physical struggle. Involuntary manslaughter means that you did not intend to kill the other person at all, but were negligent or reckless in causing their death, or you were committing a crime that led to their death.

The Law Offices of Gerstenfield & Demirji, PC. is highly experienced in representing people who are facing manslaughter charges in Maryland. Our dedicated team of Frederick, MD manslaughter defense attorneys will do all we can to provide you with the best defense possible. We will carefully analyze the facts and circumstances surrounding your case to identify the best defense strategy for you.

Voluntary Manslaughter Charges

Voluntary manslaughter is the more serious form of manslaughter. It is a step down from murder. However, to prove a murder charge, the state would need to show that you formed the intention to kill another person before actually killing them and that you did so with malice. Manslaughter is instead charged when the offender endured significant provocation or the killing took place during a physical fight.

The type of provocation involved must have been significant enough that a reasonable person might become so angered as to resort to violence. If the provocation involved would be regarded as a mere annoyance by most people, you are more likely to be charged with murder. For example, if you kill your neighbor for taking your parking spot, you would probably be charged with murder. However, if you kill your neighbor after catching him peeping through your young daughter's window while she changed her clothes, you would probably be charged with manslaughter.

You might also face voluntary manslaughter charges if you killed the victim during an altercation. For example, if you got in a bar fight and punched the victim in the face hard enough to cause a fatal head injury, that would likely be considered manslaughter.

Involuntary Manslaughter Charges

Involuntary manslaughter means causing another person to die because you were careless or reckless about the safety of the victim. You might also be charged with this crime if you were committing a misdemeanor offense that led to the victim's death. If you were committing a crime that is inherently dangerous, but you did not intend to hurt anyone, you might be charged with a form of manslaughter known as manslaughter during the commission of an illegal act.

Vehicular manslaughter is a very common form of this offense. Causing a fatal accident while driving drunk or committing another traffic offense that endangered others, such as speeding excessively, might lead to manslaughter charges. A felony DUI charge is also likely if drugs or alcohol were involved.

Actions that a reasonable person would know are substantially likely to injure or kill others can result in manslaughter charges. For example, recklessly firing a gun in no particular direction in an area where other people might be present and hitting someone, causing their death, would be considered manslaughter. Intentionally setting fire to a structure you thought—but did not verify—was unoccupied would be considered manslaughter if someone was in fact inside and died as a result.

Some people have been charged with manslaughter after a "prank," goes wrong, such as putting substances in a person's food under the mistaken belief that it would cause embarrassment but actually led to a fatal allergic reaction. Others have been charged after providing the victim with illicit drugs that caused death by overdose.

Contact a Silver Spring Manslaughter Attorney

The Law Offices of Gerstenfield & Demirji, PC. is committed to providing the best criminal defense services possible. Our experienced team of Silver Spring, MD manslaughter attorneys will do all we can to protect your rights and personal freedoms. Contact us at 301-589-9500 for a complimentary consultation.