Criminal Homicide

Homicide by itself is not a crime. A homicide is when one person brings about the death of another person. A criminal homicide takes place when one person intentionally brings about the death of another person. Wisconsin law states that there are three important elements that must be proven by the prosecuting attorney in all felony murder and intentional criminal homicide cases: act, intent, and cause. Although these elements appear to be easy to classify and verify, but there have been many differing interpretations over the years that have characterized the crime of murder.

Criminal homicide charges in Wisconsin include negligent homicide, reckless homicide, intentional homicide, and felony murder.

Felony murder is murder that is carried out while committing another felony. Intentional homicide can be charged in the first or second degree. Mitigating circumstances are sometimes used to downgrade a charge from first-degree intentional homicide to second degree intentional homicide or get the case thrown out. Reckless homicide deals with a homicide carried out with recklessness or a deadly weapon. Vehicular homicide is a homicide carried out by using a car, truck, or any type of motorized vehicle. Negligent control of a violent animal, explosive or firearm that ends up causing a death is defined as a criminal homicide.

In Wisconsin law, there are no statutes that deal with manslaughter, unintentional homicide, or accidental homicide.