Manslaughter Charges in Orange County

Orange County Criminal Defense Attorney

Are you facing criminal charges of manslaughter? You may be at risk of facing up to 11 years in state prison if convicted. In California, manslaughter charges are taken very seriously because they involve the taking of another’s life – without lawful excuse. It is important that you consult a lawyer as soon as possible in these situations in order to protect your rights and future.

Manslaughter is a form of criminal homicide, a lesser charge than murder, which may include the unlawful killing of another person in the heat of passion or due to negligence or recklessness. Manslaughter may be classified as either voluntary or involuntary depending on the circumstances of the case.

Voluntary Manslaughter

Voluntary manslaughter involves a case where a person has intentionally or willfully caused the death of another person in the heat of passion, due to sufficient provocation or certain circumstances. For example, a husband who comes home to find his wife in bed with another man may be able to have a murder charge reduced to voluntary manslaughter on the basis that his actions were made it the heat of the moment, rather than due to careful thought or deliberation.

Involuntary Manslaughter

Involuntary manslaughter most often involves cases where a person acted recklessly or negligently and caused the death of another person as a result. The defendant would not have purposefully killed another, but instead his or her actions caused another person to lose his or her life. For example, vehicular manslaughter is one form of involuntary manslaughter wherein a person may be driving drunk or recklessly and causes a fatal auto accident.

Orange County manslaughter lawyer Fred Thiagarajah is a former Deputy District Attorney who has handled a variety of types of criminal cases as a prosecutor, giving him a distinct advantage in the cases he takes on as a criminal defense attorney. He is able to understand the prosecution’s side and therefore anticipate their moves and build more effective strategies on his clients’ behalf.

For a free consultation regarding your manslaughter charges, contact an Orange County criminal defense attorney at the Law Offices of Fred Thiagarajah today.