Legal Definitions - nonfelonious homicide

Definition: Nonfelonious homicide is the killing of one person by another that is legally either excusable or justifiable. This means that the killing was either done in self-defense or was mandated or permitted by the law. It is not considered a criminal offense.

Example: A police officer shoots and kills a suspect who was pointing a gun at them. This is an example of justifiable homicide because the law permits police officers to use deadly force in self-defense or to prevent a suspect from escaping.

Explanation: In this example, the police officer's actions were legally justified because they were acting in self-defense and were authorized to use deadly force in that situation. Therefore, the killing is considered nonfelonious homicide and is not a criminal offense.