Manslaughter
Manslaughter in under Texas Penal Code, is committed when someone “recklessly causes the death of an individual.” Manslaughter is a 2nd Degree Felony (2 to 20 years in Prison). Under Texas Law, ” A person acts recklessly, or is reckless, with respect to circumstances surrounding his conduct or the result of his conduct when he is aware of but consciously disregards a substantial and unjustifiable risk that the circumstances exist or the result will occur. The risk must be of such a nature and degree that its disregard constitutes a gross deviation from the standard of care that an ordinary person would exercise under all the circumstances as viewed from the actor’s standpoint.”
Criminally Negligent Homicide
Criminally negligent homicide according to Texas Penal Code, is committed when someone causes the death of an individual by criminal negligence. Criminally negligent homicide is a State Jail Felony (between 180 days and 2 years in a State Jail institution).
A person is criminally negligent under Texas Penal code, “ with respect to circumstances surrounding his conduct or the result of his conduct when he ought to be aware of a substantial and unjustifiable risk that the circumstances exist or the result will occur. The risk must be of such a nature and degree that the failure to perceive it constitutes a gross deviation from the standard of care that an ordinary person would exercise under all the circumstances as viewed from the actor’s standpoint.”