Dallas Manslaughter Lawyer
Dallas Manslaughter Attorney Serving Dallas and Surrounding Areas
Manslaughter is a devastating charge in Texas because it means someone has lost their life, usually due to preventable behavior. We often see this charge stemming from unintentional accidents, such as texting and driving, playing with a gun, or even drug overdoses.
Manslaughter is a very serious charge in Dallas that carries substantial prison time and often a lifetime of regret and remorse. If you or a loved one has been arrested on a manslaughter charge, it’s crucial to contact an experienced Dallas manslaughter lawyer as soon as possible.
In this blog post, the attorneys at Varghese Summersett explain the law, the punishment, and why manslaughter cases are particularly heart-wrenching and difficult for everyone involved.
What is manslaughter in Texas?
Under Texas Penal Code 19.04, a person commits the offense of manslaughter if he or she recklessly causes the death of an individual. The keyword here is reckless; there was no intent to kill a person.
Reckless is a subjective standard. Under Texas law, a person acts recklessly if he or she is aware of, but consciously disregards, a substantial and unjustifiable risk that the result will occur. The risk must be of such a nature and degree that its disregard constitutes a gross deviation from the standard of care that an ordinary person would exercise under all the circumstances from the actor’s standpoint.
In layman’s terms, a person is reckless if he or she does something that a reasonable person would know could result in someone’s death.
For example, if someone is playing with a gun and accidentally shoots and kills a bystander, he or she can be charged with manslaughter. Although the gun owner may not have intended to kill anyone, he or she was aware of the risks of playing with a gun but did it anyway.
In Dallas, it’s not uncommon to see young adults charged with manslaughter.
What is the punishment for manslaughter in Texas?
In Texas, manslaughter is classified as a second-degree felony, punishable by 2 to 20 years in prison and a maximum $10,000 fine. Probation is possible if the defendant has never before been convicted of a felony.
Possible sentence on a second degree felonny
To obtain the most favorable outcome possible, it is important to retain a Dallas manslaughter lawyer who has experience handling these types of cases. The lawyers at Varghese Summersett have successfully represented individuals charged with manslaughter. We understand the gravity of the situation and will handle the case with the compassion and understanding it deserves. We have seen first-hand the grief and the guilt that stem from accidental or reckless deaths.
What is intoxication manslaughter?
Intoxication manslaughter occurs when an intoxicated driver causes the death of another person. Intoxication manslaughter is similar to the offense of manslaughter, but the defendant must be intoxicated to be charged with intoxication manslaughter, whereas manslaughter only requires some degree of recklessness or carelessness leading to a fatal crash.
Intoxication is defined as having a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more, or not having your normal mental and/or physical faculties due to some intoxicant.
For example, if a person is driving while intoxicated and causes a wreck that kills a passenger in the vehicle or kills a person in another vehicle, they can be charged with intoxication manslaughter.
Intoxication manslaughter is also a second-degree felony that carries a punishment range of 2 to 20 years in prison. As mentioned, intoxication manslaughter is a particularly devastating crime because the defendant never intended to hurt someone, and yet, a life was lost.
What’s the difference between murder and manslaughter?
The main difference between murder and manslaughter is intent.
With manslaughter, there was no intent to kill. With murder, there was an intention to kill or cause serious bodily injury which led to death.
For example, if two people get into a fight and one person goes to their vehicle and gets a knife and returns to stab the other person to death, that would be murder. However, if two people are arguing and one person pushes the other person, who then accidentally trips down some stairs and receives a fatal head injury that could be manslaughter.
A skilled Dallas manslaughter lawyer can further explain the differences between the two charges.
What are examples of manslaughter scenarios in Texas?
Some examples of manslaughter scenarios in Texas include:
- A person driving while intoxicated and causing a fatal car accident.
- A person engaging in a fight and accidentally killing the other person.
- A person playing with a gun and accidentally shooting and killing someone.
- A person supplying drugs to a person who overdosed.
- A person texting and driving and fatally striking a pedestrian.
If you have been charged with manslaughter, it is important to contact an experienced Dallas manslaughter lawyer immediately. Our team has extensive experience litigating manslaughter cases and the complexities and emotions that come with them. Oftentimes, these cases are high profile and make the news. We have a media consultant on staff to handle inquiries and issue statements on our client’s behalf.
Speak to a Dallas manslaughter lawyer today.
Good people make terrible mistakes that sometimes result in tragedy. We can’t change what happened, but we will work tirelessly to get the most favorable outcome possible. Call 214-903-4000 for a free consultation with a Dallas manslaughter lawyer today.
