When someone accidentally dies at the hand of another, felony Manslaughter is usually the resulting charge. When the death is truly an accident, the guilt the person charged with Manslaughter feels usually far outweighs any punishment the Court can impose. That seems to be the case with one man, who accidentally shot and killed his girlfriend while messing around with a gun. During sentencing, the 24-year-old told the judge he did not want mercy and asked the judge to send him to prison for as long as possible, honoring the wishes of his girlfriend’s parents.
Weld County Manslaughter Lawyer: Definition of Manslaughter
The Weld, Morgan, and Logan County, Colorado law definition of Manslaughter – C.R.S. 18-3-104 – is:
(a) Such person recklessly causes the death of another person; or
(b) Such person intentionally causes or aids another person to commit suicide.
By not properly handling the firearm, it could be argued that the man acted recklessly, and his reckless behavior caused the death of his girlfriend.
Sentence for Manslaughter in Greeley and Fort Lupton
As a class 4 felony in Greeley, Fort Lupton, and Fort Morgan, Manslaughter is punishable by 2 to 6 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections. This means if the man had been charged in Weld County and asked for the maximum sentence, he would have gotten 6 years in prison. Luckily, in Ault, Evans, and Fort Morgan, Colorado, Manslaughter is not considered a crime of violence because it does not involve intentional or purposeful behavior. A crime of violence designation extends the sentencing range from the midpoint to twice the maximum of the presumptive range.
If you or someone you love has been charged with Manslaughter in Weld or Morgan County, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and contact the Greeley’s best criminal defense attorneys from the O’Malley Law Office at 970-616-6009 to set up a free consultation or schedule a jail visit. Together, we can protect your future.
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