LOUISIANA MANSLAUGHTER LAW
LSA-R.S. 14:31
A. Manslaughter is:
(1) A homicide which would be murder under either Article 30 (first degree murder) or Article 30.1 (second degree murder), but the offense is committed in sudden passion or heat of blood immediately caused by provocation sufficient to deprive an average person of his self-control and cool reflection. Provocation shall not reduce a homicide to manslaughter if the jury finds that the offender's blood had actually cooled, or that an average person's blood would have cooled, at the time the offense was committed; or
(2) A homicide committed, without any intent to cause death or great bodily harm.
(a) When the offender is engaged in the perpetration or attempted perpetration of any felony not enumerated in Article 30 or 30.1, or of any intentional misdemeanor directly affecting the person; or
(b) When the offender is resisting lawful arrest by means, or in a manner, not inherently dangerous, and the circumstances are such that the killing would not be murder under Article 30 or 30.1.
B. Whoever commits manslaughter shall be imprisoned at hard labor for not more than forty years. However, if the victim killed was under the age of ten years, the offender shall be imprisoned at hard labor, without benefit of probation or suspension of sentence, for not less than ten years nor more than forty years.
40 wouldn't be enough...
ReplyDeleteThere should have been no plea agreement with this individual! What about the voice of the child??? She cannot and could not speak for herself. This woman, who is no woman at all, should have faced the death penalty for this offense.
ReplyDeleteSo sad. I agree with Melody. No plea agreement should have been offered. This should have been decided by a jury. This is no justice for a innocent child.
DeleteI don't think the state could actually prove what caused the death. Anything could happen in a trial. This is probably a good solution to weak case
ReplyDeleteYou've got to be joking.
DeleteShe is a vile and disgusting woman!!! I knew her and saw what she was really like. She deserves to be in jail, not free like Casey Anthony!! At least she is locked up and hopefully will be for 40 years!
ReplyDeleteI guess it's possible their case was weak, I would rather 10-40 than nothing, but it seems we have seen some high profile cases where justice is not served-it's a sad story for sure.
ReplyDeleteIt just seems to me this D.A is always accepting plea bargains and using the whole "case is weak" excuse for his decision. If the case was weak then why would a defense attorney accept the plea? Ill tell you what is weak, the District Attorney's excuses. Seriously, is there no one out there that will run against this guy?
ReplyDeletei dont think they like to try cases, if they lose it makes the DA's office look bad
ReplyDeleteSo she will get a mandatory 10 year sentence, at least?
ReplyDeleteBecause trying cases takes time away from their private practice. Criminals use to fear coming to bossier but not anymore.
ReplyDeleteAJ, the Times reported that the agreement included a 25 year sentence.
ReplyDelete