Crime XXXXII - Constructive Manslaughter I
Constructive
manslaughter or unlawful act manslaughter is a form of involuntary manslaughter
that occurs when the defendant or the accused kills the other without having
the intention to kill or lacks the mens rea to kill i.e. the defendant does not
intend to kill but regardless, death is the outcome of the defendant’s actions
or the actions of the accused. It must be distinguished from voluntary
manslaughter which occurs in the heat of the moment and involuntary
manslaughter (reckless manslaughter).
In
order for a plea of constructive manslaughter to succeed, it is a lesser
offence when compared to murder, the defendant or the accused must satisfy
three criteria. They are as follows: -
1. The
accused must have a committed an unlawful act which is not always necessarily
the same as a reckless act. For example, if the speed limit is 60 km per hour
and the accused or the defendant was driving at 80 km per hour then the act is
unlawful. However, if the driver was driving at 59 km per hour down a busy
street but he or she was swerving his or her car to the right and to the left
in an attempt to show off his or her driving skills than the act is a reckless
act.
If
the defendant or the accused hits a pedestrian while driving at 80 km per hour
without having the intention of killing anyone and the pedestrian dies as a
result, he or she is most likely guilty of constructive manslaughter.
However
if the defendant or the accused hits and kills a pedestrian while he or she is
driving at 59 km per hour because he or she decided to veer to the right and to
the left, while driving, for the sake of doing so or for the sake of testing
one’s driving skills, and while doing so hits and kills a pedestrian then he or
she is most likely guilty of reckless manslaughter.
2. The
act must be dangerous i.e. the act must be an act that can eventuate in death
or cause serious injury to another. Driving down a busy street for example, at
80 km per hour or above the speed limit, is a dangerous act.
3. Finally,
the unlawful and dangerous act must have caused the death of another or must
have resulted in the death of another. For example, when the defendant or the
accused is speeding down a busy street and as a result hits a pedestrian and
the pedestrian is killed.
Copyright
© 2019 by Dyarne Ward
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