Period+3-+Homicide

Statutes: 18 § 2501. Criminal homicide Summary: A person is guilty of criminal homicide if they intentionally, knowingly, recklessly, or negligently take the life of another human being. Grade: It is classified as murder, voluntary manslaughter, or involuntary manslaughter. Punishment: The punishment done by classification. -KT 18 § 2502. Murder Summary: Murder in the first degree is intentional killing. Murder in the second degree is felony murder, or murder while committing a felony. There is no intent to kill in the second degree. Third degree murder is all murder. Grade: Felony in the 3rd degree Punishment: First Degree: Death or Life without parole Second Degree: Life without parole Third Degree: 5 to 40 years in prison -KT

2503. Voluntary manslaughter Summary: A person has committed voluntary manslaughter when he has killed someone without a lawful justification and because of a sudden and intense passion from a provocation that occurred during the time of the killing. It is classified as voluntary manslaughter when the killing was not planned, when there was no cool-down period in between the time it occurred and when the person thought that his actions were justifiable (when they really were not). Grade: Felony of the first degree. Punishment: No more than 20 years in jail. No more than $25,000 fine. -ON

18 § 2504. Involuntary manslaughter  Summary: A person is guilty of involuntary manslaughter when the result of unlawful act in a reckless or negligent manner, causes death of another person  Grade: Involuntary manslaughter is a misdemeanor of the first degree If the victim is under 12 years of age and in the custody or control of the person who caused the death, the grading is a felony of the second degree Punishment: First degree misdemeanor- No more than 5 years in jail. No more than $10,000 in fines. Second degree felony- No more than 10 years in jail. No more than $25,000 in fines. -KS

2505. Causing or aiding suicide Summary: Someone can be convicted of causing or aiding suicide only if they cause another to commit suicide intentionally by force duress or deception.

Grade: Second degree felony Punishment: Life in prison -PG

2506. Drug delivery resulting in death

Summary: Drug delivery resulting in death is classified as a felony of the first degree. It is classified as that when the person intentionally delivers, gives, prescribes, sells or distributes any controlled substance or counterfeit controlled substance. This violates The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act. Grade: First-degree felony Punishment: No more than 40 years in prison. -JL

Scenarios

Drug Delivery resulting in death Jose is a highly ranked drug supplier in the city of New York. On May 5, 2011 at 2:30 am, he was moving a large supply of marijuana to a local dealer. When he got to the stash house to deliver the marijuana, a gang of rival drug dealers showed up and killed the dealer that Jose was delivering to.

Causing or aiding suicides

Dr. Jack Kevorkian gained world attention by assisting in several suicides to dying patients. He has the gratitude of the patients and their families. Doing this patients can be relieved of pain and suffering but it demeans the value of human life. People say that by doing this your giving up on the patient too early and miracles can occur. They also say that doctors are given too much power and can be wrong or unethical. -PG <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">Henry Thomas has been terminally ill for many years. In 2010 he was diagnosed with Leukemia. He had been in the hospital for the last four months and was struggling everyday to live. He was in a lot of pain and it hurt his family to see him suffer. He asked the doctor is he could go home for a while and wait it out. When he came home he begged his son Jackson to end his life so he didn't have to suffer anymore. Jackson agreed. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">-KS

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">Voluntary Manslaughter

A man comes home from work to find his wife cheating on him. The husband is enraged. He grabs the bedside lamp and beats the cheating lying wife to death.
-KT

**<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Involuntary Manslaughter **
Gary smith went out to the bar with his friends to celebrate his birthday. He has had 8 beers but feels he is okay to drive. He has done it many other times and has always got home safely. He gets in his car and heads home. He is two miles from home when he looks down to see if his shoe is tied. When he looks back up he is in the other lane and runs head on into another car. The lady in her car was pronounced head at the scene. Gary was convicted of involuntary manslaughter

-KS

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">Hot Questions:

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">#1: Should being antagonized be taken into consideration when being sentenced?

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">#2: What defines a crime of passion? What are the limits? <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">-KT

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">Local Example Wampum, Pennsylvania Feb. 2009. An 11 year old boy is faced with being convicted of two-life sentences after slaying a 8-month pregnant women. Jordan Brown shot his pregnant future stepmom as she slept before school. Now, he is in the mix of a heated controversy because he is looking at a conviction of 1st degree homicide; being tried as an adult. Now only time will tell if the boy will be treated as an adult and have to serve double-life sentences, or if his age and circumstance change the outcome of the judge's decision. -ON