Although manslaughter results in the death of a human being, the Legal Dictionary explains that manslaughter is not the same as murder. Murder requires the perpetrator to have acted with a malicious intention, while manslaughter, while it can also be intentional, includes other circumstances that may have provoked the killing other than malice. When it comes to intoxicated manslaughter, alcohol is the culprit for instigating the death of a person in Connecticut and can carry stiff penalties.
According to FindLaw, Connecticut law divides manslaughter into several different categories. Death resulting from a person acting intentionally to inflict severe injuries or from reckless behavior that was indifferent to human life is classified as first-degree manslaughter. Second-degree manslaughter occurs when a person deliberately assists a person to commit suicide or causes that person to take his or her own life. Some people may commit first or second degree manslaughter with a firearm.
For the purposes of intoxicated manslaughter behind the wheel, Connecticut law specifies that if a person drives under the influence of alcohol or drugs and if the driver should cause another person to die, the offense is classified as a second-degree manslaughter with a motor vehicle. This offense is also considered to be a Class C felony.
The consequences of a second-degree manslaughter are not as severe as a first-degree manslaughter, but killing someone under the influence of alcohol can invite stiff penalties nonetheless. A person convicted of a second-degree manslaughter with a motor vehicle can face a jail sentence up to ten years and a fine that can reach $10,000. The offender’s license will also be suspended for a period of time. Even after the reinstatement of the license, the person must then use an interlock device to start his or her automobile.
