Abandoned Heart Homicide

Introduction

It is the responsibility of the judicial system to determine if a person is guilty or innocent and then treat her accordingly. Furthermore, the resolution of disputes also falls under the duties of the judiciary. The judicial system decides a case based upon the law and legislation according to the country’s constitution. It is responsible for upholding the law through providing an adequate judgment on the person charged or accused of criminal behavior. However, it requires a careful examination of the evidence and the circumstances of the defendant before reaching any conclusion.

Abandoned Heart Homicide

            The concept of the abandoned heart homicide involves a homicide or criminal act committed by a person that has no regard for the sanctity of the life of humans. It is a deliberate murder committed knowingly and willingly by the murderer.

Involuntary Manslaughter

            On the other hand, involuntary manslaughter is not intended by the accused. It is not premeditated and usually results from the rash behavior of a person. It is an unplanned murder, and the accused is not aware that her actions might lead to the death of a human being.

Difference between the Two

            The law views both, the involuntary manslaughter, as well as the abandoned heart homicide as criminal acts and punishable, but the severity of the punishment is different for both. The main difference between the two is the intent of the accused. Abandoned heart homicide is committed with clear intention and demonstrates that the charged has no regard for the value of the human life. Such a crime is engaged with the result in mind, which is the death of the other individual. Therefore, the punishment for such a crime is severe and may include life imprisonment or capital punishment.

In contrast, the involuntary manslaughter is a crime that is involuntary. The accused never meant to harm the individual and is not aware of the dire consequences of her actions. It is true that her reckless behavior or negligence led to the killing of the person, it was never intended in the first place. However, as a person has lost her life due the actions, it is a crime that should be punished. Still, it is not a crime as severe as the abandoned heart homicide. Therefore, the person accused of such a crime is punished lightly than the abandoned heart case.

Factors to be considered by the Prosecutor

            Numerous factors need to be reviewed by the prosecutor to determine whether to charge an individual with abandoned heart homicide or involuntary manslaughter. In the context of involuntary manslaughter, it is necessary to consider some fundamental aspects before charging. The fact that the actions of the accused resulted in the loss of life of a human being is of the utmost importance. Secondly, it should be determined that whether the accused was aware of the dire consequences of her actions. The majority of the instances that result in involuntary manslaughter are cases of road accidents as a result of the driver being under the influence of drugs, most commonly alcohol. Hence, such an accident is not voluntary, and the prosecutor needs to examine these facts before charging the driver.

Furthermore, charging an individual with abandoned heart homicide requires a keen analysis of the state of the mind of the accused by the prosecutor. It is a very major crime, even classified as first-degree murder by individual States. Therefore, the prosecutor should be prudent so that she might not wrongfully charge the accused with abandoned heart homicide. The actions of the accused should be carefully analyzed to gauge the presence of intent and the lack of regard for the value of human life. If the acts are proved to be voluntary, the individual should be charged with abandoned heart homicide, as she displayed an intended reckless behavior that resulted in people losing lives.

Conclusion

            In conclusion, the human life is sacred and anyone who harms it needs to be punished accordingly. However, it is the duty of the judicial system and the prosecutor to determine if the crime was performed voluntarily or involuntarily. Although the abandoned heart homicide and the involuntary manslaughter mandate different types and severity of punishments, both have resulted in the loss of human life, and are hence punishable offenses.