Murder

[SaxyJag]

What are the legal classifications of murder in the UK, eg. manslaughter, death by dangerous driving etc. Can a big time drug dealer who is known to have supplied a user with a fatal dose be tried for murder in any way?

[JudgeJ]

Murder is unlawfully killing somebody intentionally. Manslaughter is unlawfully killing somebody, but without intenting to do so. The situation you describe would probably attract (if anything) a charge of manslaughter. To support a charge of murder the prosecution would have to show that the killer intended to kill his victim. If they think they can prove that, they will charge the suspect with murder.

[Dingoeater]

Murder is defined by "mens rea" or "guilty mind" and is applied to those acts which involve killing with premeditation. Manslaughter, by comparison, is a killing by accident or in hot blood. For instance if I were to lose my temper and clout a friend with whatever came to hand that would probably earn me a manslaughter conviction. By contrast it would most likely be defined as murder if I went to the kitchen, got a knife and then stabbed him. A dealer who sold pure heroin and thereby caused a death or deaths would probably be charged with manslaughter in the UK because he hadn't intended to kill his customer but would probably be charged with "culpable homicide" in Scotland.

[daftpixie]

manslaughter also breaks down into 2 catergories, voluntary and involuntary, involuntary is usually for circumstames like accidents. The voluntary aspect encompasses, gross negligence manslaughter (usually medical cases) and unlawful act manslaughter which is basically an unlawful act resulting in a death. Aspects involved also include intention, and causation in that you need to show that the (dealer in this case) had caused the death. If the links can made unlawful act manslaughter may work

[THECORBYLOON]

There is also infanticide, the killing of a child under 12 months by his or her mother.

[SaxyJag]

Thanks for that - really interesting. I think I may go with involuntary manslaughter, because the dealer is a good guy at heart who just wanted to make lots of money for his little princess, and he's also doing a plea bargain so that he can get a lighter sentence and be back with her sooner.