Whats the difference between 3rd degree murder & involuntary manslaughter?
The difference is in intention. If someone dies as the results of the defendants actions the prosecutor has to decide if he/she can prove that the defendant intended harm or was just failing to use common sense. I had a friend who was charged with involuntary manslaughter because he pushed a log off a cliff (he was 15, just playing around). The log landed on a four year old boy and killed him. I had another friend who chopped down a stop sign and they tried to get him with attempted manslaughter. I think that was just to teach him a lesson though Drunk drivers can get involuntary manslaughter, although… I think that if you drive and drive and kill someone it should be a murder charge. 3rd degree murder might happen if you got into a fight with your spouse and say, you shove her. Your intention was only to shove her, but she trips and falls and hits her head. She dies. The fact that you intentionally shoved her makes you responsible for the unforeseen consequences.
