Citizen to Criminal in Five Minutes!
The crime of manslaughter is the area in which we often see a citizen facing criminal charges. And it can happen fast–from citizen to criminal in five minutes.
Lest’s look at some examples:
- A person is driving home from a party after a couple drinks and is involved in a traffic accident and someone is killed.
- A daycare provider is watching eight children while only licensed for six and one of the children falls off a table a dies.
- A person has a pit bull that gets out of the yard and kills a toddler that lives up the street.
All of these examples, as well as countless numbers of other factual combinations, can add up to a charge of manslaughter . In most jurisdictions manslaughter can bring a punishment of up to 15 years in state prison. And this can come about even if the person being charged has no prior criminal record.
What to do? If you are involved in any action in which a person is killed, assume that the police will be looking to charge someone with the crime of manslaughter rather than making a finding of accidental death. In such a cricumstance, don’t attempt to talk your way out of it, or to give your side of the story. Make no statement and immediately retain a criminal defense attorney. Let the criminal attorney, not you, develop the case from reviewing the facts.
Often a skilled criminal attorney can develop one or more interveining acts from the facts that will remove or deminish the client’s responsibilty for the death. This can lead to an acquittal or a reduction of responsibility for the client in the case.
Please recognize that in the event of a death in circumstances as related herein, there is tremendous pressure upon the police to find a person criminaly responsible–I suggest you don’t volunteer to be that person.
Some thoughts from Anthony Partipilo, Supervising Attorney for America’s Criminal Defense Group
