William D. Kickham
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Voluntary Manslaughter

Massachusetts Voluntary Manslaughter ChargesMan w/gun

Aside from First Degree Murder and Second Degree Murder, one other form of homicide that a person can be charged with is Voluntary Manslaughter. The crime is defined by statute and is governed by Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 265, Section 13.

A lynchpin term when discussing manslaughter charges is “mitigating circumstances.” These are situational circumstances that lessen a defendant's legal culpability for an otherwise unlawful act. A killing that would otherwise constitute Murder, would instead constitute Voluntary Manslaughter if mitigating circumstances can be shown. These circumstances can include:

  • Heat of Passion Caused By Reasonable Provocation
  • Heat of Passion Caused By Sudden Combat
  • Excessive Force Used in Self-Defense or in the Defense of Another

The question of what acts constitute “reasonable provocation” is always present in these cases. Reasonable provocation is present when the victim says or does something to the defendant that would have caused a reasonable person in the defendant’s position to lose his or her self-control, (“go over the edge,”) and cause the death of the victim. For example, if a defendant caused the victim’s death in response to a mere insult, this would not normally qualify as reasonable provocation, and thus a second degree (or perhaps first degree) murder would more likely be charged. On the other end of the spectrum, a classic example of the emotions that could reduce murder to voluntary manslaughter is a spouse finding his or her partner in bed with someone else. The law duly recognizes that emotions produced by provocations and situations like this can be extremely powerful and cause some people to lose self-control. That loss of self-control negates the element malice required for murder, and therefore decreases the level of legal culpability.

The second key point here is that the legal elements of “malice aforethought” and “deliberate premeditation” are absent in a charge of Voluntary Manslaughter. Thus, in order for a killing to constitute manslaughter, it must have occurred in the heat of the moment or in the heat of passion before the defendant had time to cool off. If there were time for the defendant to cool off and reflect on his actions before the killing occurred, the killing would probably be charged as second or first degree murder. This illustrates the fact that the separating characteristic between a charge of murder and manslaughter: When a defendant had time to cool off and thus plan his actions, the elements of premeditation and malice aforethought are present, and thus murder charge is brought.

If a defendant killed someone by using excessive force in self-defense, he would likely be guilty of manslaughter (and not murder) because the initial attack (provocation) that gave him the right to defend himself would constitute sufficient mitigation to reduce the charge from murder to manslaughter. However, if the prosecution cannot prove that a defendant did in fact use excessive force in defending himself or someone else then the defendant cannot be found guilty of voluntary manslaughter.

Penalties For Conviction Of Voluntary Manslaughter

Anyone convicted of Voluntary Manslaughter faces a prison sentence of up to 20 years committed in state prison. Note: State prison is not a County Jail or a House of Correction, where more minor convicts are housed. State prison is much more severe. (Trust us, you “don’t want to go there.”)

Make The Right Choice In Hiring Your Second Degree Murder Defense Attorney

If you or someone you care about has been charged with Voluntary Manslaughter in Massachusetts, click on the “Free Arrest Tip Sheet” display button on this page, or just click here. You will receive a FREE document listing the most important action steps that you need to take if you have either already been arrested, or if you feel that you may be arrested soon. This FREE, valuable document will help you to begin to take charge of your situation.

Not every criminal lawyer knows the technical differences and nuances between the crimes of Voluntary Manslaughter and Murder. It requires a very experienced Massachusetts Manslaughter defense lawyer to know how to successfully defend these cases. Call us at Ph.: (781) 320-0062, or Ph.: (617) 285-3600, and we’ll provide you with a free initial consultation. Or click here for a free consultation. Our defense team will tell you in plain English what the weak and strong points are in the prosecution’s case against you. We will do all this as part of a free initial consultation for 20-30 minutes. Start here to make this situation better than it is now.

Client Reviews
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When I was arrested for DUI, I was absolutely terrified. Had it not been for you, I might have been convicted of something I was not at all guilty of. My work life, my family life, my reputation, all could have been destroyed. You stood by me like the legal version of a bodyguard - and because of you, I was found not guilty. G.M.
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When we got the call that our son had been arrested and charged with rape, we almost fainted. We know our son. He is not violent; he has never abused anyone, let alone another girl… If not for you and your "take no prisoners" attitude, our son might have been convicted of a crime that would have sent him to state prison. As far as we're concerned, our son owes you his life, and we owe you the world. We will never forget you. A.H. and P.H.
★★★★★
I hired Mr. William D. Kickham for a very important legal issue and I was extremely satisfied by the results. His in depth knowledge about the matter and his intelligent thinking was extremely beneficial. He is really an expert. He was also very supportive and sensitive towards my concerns. It was great to have a lawyer of his capacity. Thanks William for all the Help. N.G.
★★★★★
Atty. Kickham defended me on a charge of raping my girlfriend, who made up the whole story out of revenge because I was interested in someone else. If it weren’t for Attorney Kickham proving me innocent, God knows what might have happened to me. Z.B.
★★★★★
Mr. Kickham represented me on a trumped-up charge of domestic violence. The prosecutor and police wouldn’t back down, even after my spouse told them it was all untrue. They insisted on taking me to trial, and Mr. Kickham never wavered. He was my legal bodyguard, and I was found not guilty. M.B.
★★★★★
Of the many talents Atty. Kickham has, two are these: 1) He is ten times as persuasive as the best lawyer you’ve seen in the movies; and 2) Nothing - but nothing - gets by him. The police arrested me on completely false drug charges, and after a heated courtroom battle, Atty. Kickham won the day. Trust me, it was no surprise. D.C.
★★★★★
Because I mildly disciplined my child for throwing a tantrum, I was actually charged with child abuse. It was horrifying. Atty. Kickham fought for me tooth and nail, until I was declared not guilty. One hell of a lawyer. D.D.
★★★★★
I complimented a co-worker on her looks and patted her on the back as I did so. Two hours later, the police showed up and accused me of indecent assault & battery. From the day I hired him, Atty. Kickham fought the DA’s office until the charges were dropped. If not for him, my life would have been ruined. A.K.