Official text prohibited actmental stateif conditionpenaltylegal term
(a) Manslaughter is the unlawful killing of a human being without malice. It is of two kinds:
Voluntary—Upon a sudden quarrel or heat of passion.
Involuntary—In the commission of an unlawful act not amounting to a , or in the commission in an unlawful manner, or without due caution and circumspection, of a lawful act which might produce death.
(b) Within the ,
Whoever is guilty of voluntary manslaughter, shall be or imprisoned not more than 15 years, or both;
Whoever is guilty of involuntary manslaughter, shall be or imprisoned not more than 8 years, or both.
History: (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 756 (PDF, 39 MB); Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXII, §320102, title XXXIII, §330016(1)(H), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2109 (PDF, 52 MB), 2147; Pub. L. 104–294, title VI, §604(b)(13), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3507; Pub. L. 110–177, title II, §207, Jan. 7, 2008, 121 Stat. 2538.)
Simplified explanation
It is a federal crime to commit manslaughter (unlawfully killing someone without malice) in areas under special federal jurisdiction. Voluntary manslaughter happens in a sudden quarrel or heat of passion; involuntary manslaughter happens through a minor unlawful act or careless conduct.