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Simple English definitions for legal terms
nonfelonious homicide
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A quick definition of nonfelonious homicide:
Nonfelonious homicide is when one person kills another person, but it is not considered a crime because it was either done in self-defense or was mandated by the law. It is different from criminal homicide, which includes murder and manslaughter. Other types of homicide include accidental killing, negligent homicide, and victim-precipitated homicide. Willful homicide is when someone intentionally causes another person's death.
A more thorough explanation:
Definition: Nonfelonious homicide is the killing of one person by another that is legally either excusable or justifiable. This means that the killing was either done in self-defense or was mandated or permitted by the law. It is not considered a criminal offense.
Example: A police officer shoots and kills a suspect who was pointing a gun at them. This is an example of justifiable homicide because the law permits police officers to use deadly force in self-defense or to prevent a suspect from escaping.
Explanation: In this example, the police officer's actions were legally justified because they were acting in self-defense and were authorized to use deadly force in that situation. Therefore, the killing is considered nonfelonious homicide and is not a criminal offense.