Manslaughter, homicide committed without justification or excuse but distinguished from murder by the absence of the element of malice aforethought.

Voluntary manslaughter is a killing done in the heat of passion provoked by acts of the victim such as to cause a reasonable man to act rashly and without reflection.

Involuntary manslaughter is a killing in which there is no intention to kill at all.

The advent of the automobile caused many manslaughter cases that arise from reckless and careless driving; in the statutes of some states of the United States such killing is a separate crime.