Homicide involves the killing of a person and carries serious legal implications. There are several different types of homicide, with varying charges and penalties. Generally, murder is considered the most severe crime and requires premeditation or planning. Murder is categorized as first or second-degree, depending on the circumstances and level of culpability. Manslaughter, on the other hand, is a less serious charge and may result in less severe penalties. Involuntary manslaughter occurs when a perpetrator engages in reckless or negligent actions that lead to someone else’s death, and they did not have any intent to kill.

Legal defenses to a homicide case vary by jurisdiction and circumstances, but can include self-defense, lack of intent, and proving that the act was justifiable. Whether or not these defenses are successful, however, depends on the unique facts of each case.

Criminological and criminal justice researchers divide homicide into two categories, willful murder and nonnegligent manslaughter. Other disciplines like epidemiology and public health, however, do not operate on this division, and instead consider all homicides as one type of violent death (Riedel & Welsh, 2002).

When someone kills another person, it is classified as a homicide, whether or not the perpetrator had any intentions. This is because all homicides must undergo a thorough criminal investigation to determine whether or not the victim was murdered. Intentional homicides can range from first-degree murder to involuntary manslaughter, depending on the severity of the act and its circumstances.