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Manslaughter Lawyers Grater Toronto Area (GTA)
If you were charged with manslaughter in the Greater Toronto Area, contact a GTA criminal defence lawyer.
Defending You Against the Manslaughter Charge in the GTA
If you are facing allegations of manslaughter in the Greater Toronto Area, you need to understand the seriousness of this criminal offence. You do not have time to waste if you were charged with manslaughter. An experienced criminal lawyer can build an effective defence strategy to challenge the Crown’s evidence against you.
Due to the legal complexity and the severe nature of homicide offences, it is not always immediately clear whether you will be charged with manslaughter or murder.
If you are accused of killing another person, you may have a hard time proving that you had no intention to kill that person. That’s where a skilled and results-driven manslaughter defence lawyer can step in to protect your rights and fight for your freedom.
What is manslaughter?
Manslaughter is defined as any culpable homicide that is not classified as murder under Section 229 of the Criminal Code of Canada. The most common type of manslaughter is when a person commits an unlawful act that results in the death of another person.
Still, many people do not understand the difference between murder and manslaughter because both crimes are culpable homicide offences under the Criminal Code.
An offence can be charged as either murder or manslaughter depending on:
- Whether there was any planning involved in the commission of the unlawful act;
- Whether the defendant was provoked or drunk;
- The level of planning and intentionality of the killing; and
- The defendant’s mental state at the time of the killing.
Defendants can face murder charges when they planned or had the intent to kill the victim. However, if there was no planning or intent to kill, the offence is more likely to be prosecuted as manslaughter.
Types of manslaughter
Depending on the circumstances of the offence, there are two types of manslaughter under Canada’s Criminal Code:
- An unlawful act occurs when the defendant does something illegal that unintentionally results in the death of another human being
- Criminal negligence occurs when the defendant demonstrates a reckless disregard for the safety of others, which, in turn, results in the victim’s death.
What are the penalties for manslaughter charges?
According to Section 236 of the Criminal Code, anyone who commits manslaughter is charged with an indictable offence and sentenced to life in jail.
If the defendant used a firearm in the killing of the victim, a mandatory minimum penalty is an imprisonment for four years. However, in most manslaughter cases, defendants are sentenced to from four to 15 years in jail if found guilty.
Do not hesitate to consult with a GTA manslaughter defence lawyer at Lawyers From The Six to determine how to defend your criminal case.
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