second-degree murder
Intentional, unpremeditated killing
Second-degree murder is an unlawful killing that is intentional but not premeditated—committed in the moment rather than planned in advance.
The distinction from first-degree murder varies by jurisdiction, but second-degree typically involves intent to kill without prior deliberation, or death resulting from extremely reckless conduct: He was convicted of second-degree murder after the bar fight turned fatal.
Without advance planning
- heat of passionIntense temporary emotional disturbance
- provocationAct that triggers response
- voluntary manslaughterKilling with mitigating circumstances
- mitigating factorsCircumstances reducing culpability
Causing another's death
- felonySerious criminal offense
- indictmentFormal charge from jury
- convictionFirmly held belief
- prosecutionPursuing legal charges
defendant · arraignment · trial · verdict · sentencing · penal code · statute · criminal justice
Confinement in jail
- sentenceComplete thought, grammatically
- prisonConfinement for offenders
- paroleConditional early release
- probationSupervised trial period
life sentence · minimum sentence · correctional facility · custody · confinement · time served · consecutive sentence
Causing death deliberately
- fatalCausing death or ruin
- deadly weaponInstrument capable of killing
- shootingDischarging a weapon
- stabbingWounding with a blade
strangulation · beating · assault · victim · death · lethal force · blunt force · mortal wound
Intent to cause harm
- aforethoughtPrior deliberate intention
- reckless disregardConscious indifference to risk
- wantonDeliberately cruel without reason
- culpableDeserving of blame
unpremeditated
Without advance planning
- heat of passionIntense temporary emotional disturbance
- provocationAct that triggers response
- voluntary manslaughterKilling with mitigating circumstances
mitigating factors · cooling-off period · diminished capacity
homicide
Causing another's death
- felonySerious criminal offense
- indictmentFormal charge from jury
- convictionFirmly held belief
prosecution · defendant · arraignment · trial · verdict · sentencing · penal code · statute · criminal justice · testimony
incarceration
Confinement in jail
- sentenceComplete thought, grammatically
- prisonConfinement for offenders
- paroleConditional early release
probation · life sentence · minimum sentence · correctional facility · custody · confinement · time served · consecutive sentence
killing
Causing death deliberately
- fatalCausing death or ruin
- deadly weaponInstrument capable of killing
- shootingDischarging a weapon
stabbing · strangulation · beating · assault · victim · death · lethal force · blunt force · mortal wound · bodily harm
malice
Intent to cause harm
- aforethoughtPrior deliberate intention
- reckless disregardConscious indifference to risk
- wantonDeliberately cruel without reason
second-degree murderfirst-degree murder
Planned, intentional killing
premeditated murder · capital murder · aggravated murder · voluntary manslaughter · involuntary manslaughter
second-degree murderjustifiable homicide
Legally sanctioned taking of life
self-defense killing · defense of others · capital punishment · warfare · euthanasia
second, murder, secondly, seconds, seconded, seconding, murderer, murderers, murdered