Homicide is the intentional killing of another person, though it is certainly possible to be charged with homicide even if the defendant did not intend to kill anyone (such as during a burglary or kidnapping). However, manslaughter is the unintentional killing of another person, aside from in self-defense. Manslaughter can be charged as voluntary or involuntary in Illinois, and both can have tremendous penalties. Motor vehicle collision deaths have been going up over the past two years, and drivers who take reckless actions are one of the driving causes of the upward trend in fatalities. As such, reckless driving, and other forms of manslaughter both voluntary and involuntary are charged as very serious crimes by the state.

Involuntary Manslaughter in Illinois

Illinois statute 720 ILCS 5/9-3 defines involuntary manslaughter as follows: “A person who unintentionally kills an individual without lawful justification commits involuntary manslaughter if his acts, whether lawful or unlawful, which cause the death . . . are likely to cause death or great bodily harm to some individual, and he performs them recklessly.” Involuntary manslaughter is a Class 3 felony in Illinois, and carries a punishment of two to five years in prison, according to Illinois statute 730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-40. However, a judge can award an extended term punishment of up to 10 years for a variety of reasons, including if the:

Homicide, murder, and manslaughter are familiar terms, and people often use them somewhat interchangeably to describe killing. But under Illinois law, they actually have different meanings, which can sometimes be confusing.

In Illinois, the term “homicide” means the killing of another person. Murder and manslaughter are types of homicide. Depending on the circumstances, homicide may or may not be a crime. Homicides are considered justifiable if there was a reason to kill the other person, such as self-defense or defending another person. If the homicide was justifiable, it is not a crime. Murder and manslaughter, however, are both criminal offenses in Illinois.

Murder