Voluntary manslaughter, penalty
Voluntary manslaughter is when someone kills another person but did it in the heat of the moment after being seriously provoked — not in cold blood like murder. It also covers helping someone else commit suicide. The person accused has to be the one to bring up the 'heat of the moment' argument in court. It is a serious felony with major prison time.
Classifications stated in the statute. Actual outcomes vary.
565.023. , — under influence of , 's to inject. — 1. A person commits the of voluntary manslaughter if he or she:
(1) Causes the death of another person under circumstances that would constitute under (1) of 1 of section 565.021, except that he or she caused the death under the influence of sudden passion arising from ; or
(2) assists another in the of .
2. The defendant shall have the of influence of sudden passion arising from adequate cause under subdivision (1) of subsection 1 of this section.
3. The offense of voluntary manslaughter is a .
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Source & history notes
(L. 1983 S.B. 276, A.L. 1984 S.B. 448 § A, A.L. 2014 S.B. 491) Effective 1-01-17
Legal information, not legal advice. Always confirm with the official source at revisor.mo.gov.