Voluntary Manslaughter

Voluntary manslaughter is a legal term referring to the intentional killing of another person, but under circumstances that mitigate the severity of the act. It usually involves situations where the murderer was provoked or acted in the heat of passion, meaning they lost self-control due to a triggering event, such as discovering a spouse's infidelity. While it is still a serious crime, voluntary manslaughter is often treated less harshly than murder because the person's emotional state influenced their actions, suggesting a lack of premeditation. Penalties are generally lighter than those for murder.