Manslaughter

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Before a person can be convicted of manslaughter cases, the prosecution must prove the following two things beyond a reasonable doubt:

  1. The victim is dead; and
  2. The accused individual intentionally caused the death of the victim, or the accused individual intentionally procured the death of the victim, or the victim’s death was caused by the culpable negligence of the accused.

However, the accused cannot be guilty of manslaughter if the killing was either justifiable homicide or excusable homicide.

In order to convict of manslaughter cases by an intentional act, it is not necessary for the prosecutor to prove that the accused had a premeditated intent to cause the victim's death.

See also voluntary manslaughter and DUI manslaughter.

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  • Over 34 Years of Experience – Ronald S. Chapman has represented clients facing both state and federal charges since 1990, and he has had more than 200 trials.
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I recently had the good fortune of hiring Ronald Chapman as an attorney for a family member. My family does not reside in South Florida, so I began researching the West Palm Beach and County Services websites looking for possible attorneys. I found several legal articles written and posted by Mr. Chapman that were relevant to the issues impacting my family member. The articles written by Mr. Chapman were pertinent and in fact provided information about recent changes in several laws and legal situations. The articles were timely and extremely helpful. I contacted Mr. Chapman and explained the circumstances that required legal assistance for my family member. To my relief, Mr. Chapman agreed to handle the case, which required a court appearance two (2) days after we had spoken. Mr. Chapman met with my family member, represented him in court with a very satisfactory outcome, and all within a 2-day window of time. Mr. Chapman's name and phone number are now permanently in my rolodex! I have never dealt with an attorney who has been so responsive and forthcoming relative to explanations of the facts and circumstances. I highly recommend Mr. Chapman as an attorney.
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Recent Blogs/News

Ronald S. Chapman Reacts to FL Supreme Court’s Revision of Speedy Trial Rule

WEST PALM BEACH, Florida — Criminal defense attorney Ronald S. Chapman underscores the impact of the Florida Supreme Court’s recent decision to amend Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.191, as laid out in In Re: Amendments to Rule 3.191 (SC2022‑1123). These changes, which also affect Rule 3.134, took effect on July 1, 2025. New clock […]

West Palm Beach Criminal Defense Attorney Reacts to New Animal Cruelty Laws

WEST PALM BEACH, Florida — Experienced criminal defense attorney Ronald S. Chapman urges heightened awareness of sweeping new Florida laws impacting animal cruelty cases. Effective October 1, 2025, Senate Bill 150 (Trooper’s Law) imposes mandatory third-degree felony charges for abandoning restrained animals during declared natural disasters, punishable by up to 5 years in prison and […]

FL Increases Tracking Device Crime to 2nd‑Degree Felony Starting Oct 1, 2025

WEST PALM BEACH, Florida — Criminal Defense Attorney Ron Chapman alerts Floridians to a significant change in state law that will take effect on October 1, 2025. Under Florida Senate Bill 1168 (SB 1168), the unlawful use of tracking devices in connection with violent or sexual crimes will be upgraded from a third-degree felony to […]

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Since 1990, Mr. Chapman has been representing people who have been accused of committing various types of crimes such as DUI, domestic violence, possession of a firearm, drug possession, expungement, traffic crimes, murder, manslaughter, crimes against children, sex crimes, crimes against the elderly, appeals, and violations of probation.
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The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice.You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship.