45+ Years Criminal Defense

Experience in California

Home » Practice Areas » Voluntary Manslaughter - PC 192(a) » Voluntary Manslaughter Defenses

Table of Contents

Defenses to Voluntary Manslaughter in Los Angeles California PC 192(a)

A Wallin & Klarich criminal defense attorney experienced in voluntary manslaughter in Los Angeles will develop a strong defense strategy on your behalf to defeat a voluntary manslaughter charge depending on the specific facts of your case. An experienced attorney can make a successful argument that can lead to your charges either being reduced to a less serious offense or dismissed completely.

Killing someone in self defense is a strong argument to defeat charges of voluntary manslaughter in Orange County. Your attorneys at Wallin & Klarich will guide you as to what defenses work best based on your particular case.

Did you kill someone in Los Angeles while you tried to protect yourself or others from serious injury or death? Call us today. We will get through this together.

Possible Defenses to Charges of Voluntary Manslaughter in Los Angeles

PC 192(a) Defense 1 - Self-Defense

If the accused can prove his or her killing of another human being was done in self-defense, then that is a complete defense to the voluntary manslaughter charge in California. In order to prove self-defense, you have to show you faced a realistic threat of being either seriously injured or killed. Also, you have to prove deadly force was necessary in order to defend against that threat. In addition, you must prove that, when defending against that threat, you did not use more force than was reasonably necessary.

PC 192(a) Defense 2 - Defense of Another

You can be found not guilty of voluntary manslaughter in Los Angles if the killing was done to protect others from serious injury or death; this is similar to the self-defense argument detailed above. As with that argument, if you are claiming defense of another, the actions of the defendant have to be ruled reasonable under the circumstances.

PC 192(a) Defense 3 - Defense Against Harm to Self or Others Within Own Home

You will also not be found guilty of voluntary manslaughter in Los Angeles if you killed a person within your home or property, whether the killing was in self-defense or in the defense of others. In order to prove this, however, you have to show that you were defending your home against someone who intended to commit a violent act against someone within his home. The use of deadly force must be proven to have been reasonable under the circumstances, and there must have been a present danger of a serious injury or death.

PC 192(a) Defense 4 - Citizen Arrest by a Non-Peace Officer

If, while lawfully trying to arrest someone who had either committed a crime that threatened bodily injury or death, the arresting non-peace offer kills that person, the court may rule the killing justified. As a result, the person attempting the arrest will not be charged with voluntary manslaughter. However, it is important to note that the person must prove the following:

He or she had reason to believe that the person killed had committed the crime.
The person committing the crime posed a danger of serious bodily injury or death to the accused or someone else
The killing was necessary to prevent the escape of the person committing the crime.

PC 192(a) Defense 5 - Preserving the Peace by a Non-Peace Officer

If done to preserve the peace, the killing of a human being can be considered justified. If the accused can prove he or she killed a person while trying to quell a riot or otherwise preserve the peace, that person will be found not guilty of voluntary manslaughter. In a similar fashion to the other defenses, the accused must prove he or she had a reasonable belief the person killed posed a serious danger of inflicting bodily harm to the defendant or others, and that, under the circumstances, the killing was reasonably necessary.

If you are facing charges of voluntary manslaughter in Los Angeles, call our experienced criminal attorneys at Wallin & Klarich today.

Have you been charged with voluntary manslaughter? You are not alone. We will get through this together.

Place Your Trust in Wallin & Klarich Today

Is very important that you speak with a skilled and experienced Orange County voluntary manslaughter defense attorney as soon as possible. The attorneys at Wallin & Klarich have helped clients facing voluntary manslaughter charges in California for more than 40 years. Call us as soon as you can at (877) 4-NO-JAIL – we have offices in Orange County, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Ventura, Victorville and West Covina, and we are standing by 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We Will get through this together.

Search our site

Our California Locations

irvine

18022 Cowan # 285, Irvine, CA 92614

(949) 776-3424
(888) 749-0034

San Bernardino

225 W Hospitality Ln Suite 319, San Bernardino, CA 92408

(909) 383-1867
(888) 749-0034

Riverside

7177 Brockton Avenue Suite 339 Riverside, CA 92506

(951) 684-3340
(888) 749-0034

Victorville

15437 Anacapa Rd Unit 12, Victorville, CA 92392

(760) 245-3045
(888) 749-0034

Torrance

21151 S Western Ave #233, Torrance, CA 90501

(310) 527-5500
(888) 749-0034

Anaheim

1161 Raymond Ave, Anaheim, CA 92801

(714) 710-7917
(888) 749-0034

tustin

17592 Irvine Blvd, Tustin, CA 92780

(714) 730-5300
(888) 749-0034

san diego

444 W C St, #410, San Diego, CA 92101

barstow

400 S. 2nd Ave, Suite 206, Barstow, CA 92311

west covina

1619 West Garvey Ave N, #107, West Covina, CA 91790

long beach

5199 Pacific Coast Highway # 604, Long Beach, CA 90804

Request A Free Confidential Consultation

"*" indicates required fields

our locations

*By Appointment Only*

irvine

18022 Cowan # 285, Irvine, CA 92614

(949) 776-3424
(888) 749-0034

San Bernardino

225 W Hospitality Ln Suite 319, San Bernardino, CA 92408

(909) 383-1867
(888) 749-0034

Riverside

7177 Brockton Avenue Suite 339 Riverside, CA 92506

(951) 684-3340
(888) 749-0034

Victorville

15437 Anacapa Rd Unit 12, Victorville, CA 92392

(760) 245-3045
(888) 749-0034

Torrance

21151 S Western Ave #233, Torrance, CA 90501

(310) 527-5500
(888) 749-0034

Anaheim

1161 Raymond Ave, Anaheim, CA 92801

(714) 710-7917
(888) 749-0034

tustin

17592 Irvine Blvd, Tustin, CA 92780

(714) 730-5300
(888) 749-0034

san diego

444 W C St, #410, San Diego, CA 92101

barstow

400 S. 2nd Ave, Suite 206, Barstow, CA 92311

west covina

1619 West Garvey Ave N, #107, West Covina, CA 91790

long beach

5199 Pacific Coast Highway # 604, Long Beach, CA 90804

schedule a free
confidential consultation

If you or a loved one have been accused of a crime, now is the time to contact us.

"*" indicates required fields

California Criminal Defense Lawyer Disclaimer: The legal information presented at this site should not be construed to be formal legal advice, nor should it be considered the formation of a lawyer or attorney-client relationship. Any case results presented on the site are based upon the facts of a particular case and do not represent a promise or guarantee. The contents of this website may contain legal advertising. If you would like to find out more information about your particular legal matter, contact our office for a free telephonic consultation. This web site is not intended to solicit clients for matters outside of the state of California.