Definition Essay: Murder
Murder is considered a serious crime in our country. The loosely defined term of murder implies that a person who kills another human being with intent is known as being the worst kind of violent crime we see in our society. Any unlawful killing requires that a living person be killed and it does not mean that the guilty person feels any hatred or spite in order to plan and execute the act of murder. Moreover, the destructive acts that end peoples lives are classified as homicides which include manslaughter and first and second degree murder. More important, the justice system has put different labels on such crimes, but it also allows room for criminals to get away with murder. A person who's accused of unlawful killing in a court of law may be faced with a manslaughter charge by the prosecutor. Since there are different scenario's in which a unlawful killing can occur, there are different charges that come with the type of circumstances that surround each case. That is, first and second degree murder charges come into play as the murderer in question will need to be measured up which will tell the public and or jury if his or her intension was premeditated or not. Moreover, the law uses a another general term called manslaughter which has it's own two divisions as well. According to the People's Law Dictionary by Gerald and Kathleen Hill, there are two types of manslaughter. "The first type is voluntary manslaughter (first degree) which is defined as a homicide resulting from an intentional act done with or without malice or premeditation and while in the heat of passion or on sudden provocation".(Hill) An example would be a husband catching his wife in bed with another man and he kills the man before the heated passion cools off. "The second type is involuntary manslaughter (second degree) which occurs when a death is caused by a violation of a non-felony, and often includes an element of unlawful recklessness or negligence".(Hill) An example would