Legal Definitions - second-degree manslaughter

Second-degree manslaughter is a type of involuntary manslaughter. It refers to the unlawful killing of a human being without malice aforethought. This means that the person did not intend to kill or cause serious harm to the victim, but their actions resulted in the victim's death.

For example, if someone is driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and causes a fatal car accident, they could be charged with second-degree manslaughter. Another example is if someone is playing with a gun and accidentally shoots and kills someone.

These examples illustrate the definition of second-degree manslaughter because in both cases, the person did not intend to kill anyone, but their reckless or negligent actions resulted in someone's death.