What is the difference between manslaughter and murder?

Answer by  TheAnswerFairy (2345)

The exact specifics depend on your local criminal codes, but in general, murder is a deliberate killing of another person, whereas manslaughter is either (1) a killing that takes place accidentally but under criminal circumstances or (2) killing that takes place in the heat of passion.

Answer by  Zoso (869)

It's about the killer's state of mind. Generally murder means full culpability; manslaughter means there were mitigating circumstances like provocation, diminished mental capacity, or death caused by negligence.