Printable Format21-5404. Voluntary manslaughter. (a) Voluntary manslaughter is knowingly killing a human being committed:
(1) Upon a sudden quarrel or in the heat of passion; or
(2) upon an unreasonable but honest belief that circumstances existed that justified use of deadly force under K.S.A. 21-5222, 21-5223 or 21-5225, and amendments thereto.
(b) Voluntary manslaughter is a severity level 3, person felony.
History: L. 2010, ch. 136, § 39; L. 2011, ch. 30, § 17; July 1.
Source or Prior Law:
21-3403.
CASE ANNOTATIONS
1. Failure to instruct jury on imperfect self-defense not cause to overrule verdict. State v. Seba, 305 Kan. 185, 208, 380 P.3d 209 (2016).
2. District court correctly denied voluntary manslaughter instruction where no reasonable juror would conclude, based on the evidence, that defendant was motivated by a sudden quarrel or heat of passion. State v. Green, 311 Kan. 960, 987, 469 P.3d 1228 (2020).
3. A compulsion defense cannot be made if coercion or duress was not present, imminent and impending or if there was a reasonable opportunity to avoid doing the thing or to escape. State v. Lowry, 317 Kan. 89, 99, 524 P.3d 416 (2023).