Is there a difference between murder and wrongful death?
Murder is a charge brought by the government in a criminal case where the prosecution aims to punish the person for his or her crime. Wrongful death is a civil case, in which the survivors seek recompense for their loss. In a criminal case, the defendant is “innocent until proven guilty,” and that guilt must be proven “beyond a reasonable doubt.” In a civil case, however, the proof is much more lenient. A person’s responsibility for the death of another must only be proven by “a preponderance of the evidence.” In other words, it is more likely than not that the death was caused by the defendant’s negligence, recklessness, or intentional action.
