Louisiana Manslaughter, Negligent and Vehicular Homicide Laws

Louisiana has a single offense named manslaughter, La. R.S. 14:31, punishable by up to 40 years at hard labor, which covers a homicide committed in sudden passion or heat of blood after provocation, certain killings without intent to kill during another offense, and, since June 8, 2025, distributing a controlled dangerous substance that significantly contributes to a death. Below it are negligent homicide (14:32), a killing by criminal negligence punishable by up to 15 years for offenses on or after August 1, 2026, and vehicular homicide (14:32.1), a death caused by an impaired operator of a vehicle, aircraft or watercraft, punishable by 5 to 30 years with at least 3 years served without probation, parole or suspension of sentence.

For how other states define and punish these offenses, see our guide to manslaughter laws by state.

Information last verified on 2026-10-17. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

Jurisdiction scope: This article covers the Louisiana statutes on homicide below murder: manslaughter (La. R.S. 14:31), negligent homicide (14:32), vehicular homicide (14:32.1), the feticide offenses (14:32.6 to 14:32.8), hit-and-run driving with death (14:100), the responsive-verdict and probation rules of the Code of Criminal Procedure (arts. 814 and 893), and the licence statutes tied to them. It does not cover first or second degree murder (see how long a life sentence is in Louisiana and our overview of murder sentencing guidelines), self-defense (see Louisiana self-defense laws), civil lawsuits by surviving family (see Louisiana wrongful death law), local ordinances, or federal offenses, which the manslaughter laws hub covers.

What is manslaughter in Louisiana?

Louisiana does not use the voluntary and involuntary labels. La. R.S. 14:29 sets out the grades of criminal homicide:

"Homicide is the killing of a human being by the act, procurement, or culpable omission of another. Criminal homicide is of five grades: (1) First degree murder. (2) Second degree murder. (3) Manslaughter. (4) Negligent homicide. (5) Vehicular homicide." La. R.S. 14:29

Manslaughter is the third grade. Its forms, in 14:31(A), are:

1. Sudden passion or heat of blood. "A homicide which would be murder under either Article 30 (first degree murder) or Article 30.1 (second degree murder), but the offense is committed in sudden passion or heat of blood immediately caused by provocation sufficient to deprive an average person of his self-control and cool reflection."
2. Killing without intent during another offense. "A homicide committed, without any intent to cause death or great bodily harm," either when the offender is engaged in the perpetration or attempted perpetration "of any felony not enumerated in Article 30 or 30.1, or of any intentional misdemeanor directly affecting the person," or when the offender "is resisting lawful arrest by means, or in a manner, not inherently dangerous, and the circumstances are such that the killing would not be murder under Article 30 or 30.1."
3. A crime of violence leading to a death. When the offender commits or attempts any crime of violence defined in R.S. 14:2(B) "which is part of a continuous sequence of events resulting in the death of a human being where it was foreseeable that the offender's conduct during the commission of the crime could result in death or great bodily harm to a human being, even if the offender has no intent to kill or to inflict great bodily harm."
4. Drug distribution contributing to a death (since June 8, 2025). When the offender unlawfully distributes or dispenses a controlled dangerous substance in Schedules I through V "which significantly contributes to the death of the recipient who ingested or consumed the controlled dangerous substance," or distributes it "to another who subsequently distributes or dispenses such controlled dangerous substance which significantly contributes to the death of the person who ingested or consumed" it (14:31(A)(4)-(5)).

Readers who search for the common labels can map them this way, as far as the text goes: the sudden-passion form is the closest match to what other states call voluntary manslaughter, and the no-intent forms of manslaughter, together with negligent homicide and vehicular homicide, cover the ground other states call involuntary manslaughter.

Manslaughter, negligent homicide and vehicular homicide are all felonies, and each statute allows imprisonment at hard labor.

Louisiana manslaughter and homicide offenses at a glance

Louisiana does not assign letter classes to these felonies; each statute states its own penalty. For how Louisiana's felony sentencing works across all offenses, see Louisiana felony and misdemeanor classes.

Sudden passion and heat of blood: Louisiana's provocation rule

The provocation form of manslaughter reduces what would be first or second degree murder when the killing was "committed in sudden passion or heat of blood immediately caused by provocation sufficient to deprive an average person of his self-control and cool reflection." The statute then sets a cooling-off bar:

"Provocation shall not reduce a homicide to manslaughter if the jury finds that the offender's blood had actually cooled, or that an average person's blood would have cooled, at the time the offense was committed;" La. R.S. 14:31(A)(1)

The Louisiana Supreme Court treats sudden passion and heat of blood as mitigating factors that the defendant proves, not as elements the State must prove. In State v. Snyder, No. 98-KA-1078, the court wrote:

"This court has repeatedly stated, however, that "sudden passion" and "heat of blood" are not elements of the offense of manslaughter. Rather, they are mitigatory factors in the nature of a defense which exhibit a degree of culpability less than that present when the homicide is committed in the absence of these factors. ... Because they are mitigatory factors, a defendant who establishes by a preponderance of the evidence that he acted in "sudden passion" or "heat of blood" is entitled to a verdict of manslaughter." State v. Snyder (La.), citing State v. Lombard, 486 So.2d 106 (La. 1986)

Louisiana's manslaughter statute contains no provision addressing the victim's sexual orientation or gender identity; Louisiana has no statute of the kind some states enacted to bar a "gay panic" or "trans panic" provocation claim.

Responsive verdicts. Under La. C.Cr.P. art. 814(A), the verdicts a jury may return on a second degree murder charge are "Guilty. Guilty of manslaughter. Guilty of negligent homicide. Not guilty." On a manslaughter charge they are "Guilty. Guilty of negligent homicide. Not guilty."

Self-defense and justification are separate questions; Louisiana self-defense laws covers them.

Negligent homicide: criminal negligence

Negligent homicide is Louisiana's lowest non-vehicle homicide grade:

"A. Negligent homicide is either of the following: (1) The killing of a human being by criminal negligence. (2) The killing of a human being by a dog or other animal when the owner is reckless and criminally negligent in confining or restraining the dog or other animal. B. The violation of a statute or ordinance shall be considered only as presumptive evidence of such negligence." La. R.S. 14:32

Criminal negligence is defined in La. R.S. 14:12:

"Criminal negligence exists when, although neither specific nor general criminal intent is present, there is such disregard of the interest of others that the offender's conduct amounts to a gross deviation below the standard of care expected to be maintained by a reasonably careful man under like circumstances." La. R.S. 14:12

Penalty and the 2026 increase. Under 14:32(C), negligent homicide is punishable by a fine of up to $5,000, imprisonment "with or without hard labor, for not more than fifteen years, or both." If the victim was under the age of 13, the sentence is "not less than two years nor more than twenty years" at hard labor "without benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence." If the victim was killed by a dog or other animal and the owner was criminally negligent, the owner faces up to 10 years with or without hard labor, a fine up to $5,000, or both (14:32(C)(3)). When the death was caused by the operator of a vehicle, aircraft or watercraft and the offender's blood alcohol concentration contributed to it, a court that does not impose imprisonment must state its reasons orally and in writing at sentencing (14:32(C)(1)(b)). Act 466 of the 2026 Regular Session (Senate Bill 156), effective August 1, 2026, set these figures. Before it, the maximum was 10 years, and the child-victim bracket applied to victims under 10 with a range of 2 to 10 years; offenses committed before the act took effect are sentenced under those earlier figures.

Vehicular homicide and DUI deaths in Louisiana

Louisiana has no offense named DUI manslaughter or vehicular manslaughter. An impaired-driving death is vehicular homicide, a separate grade of criminal homicide. A death caused by a sober driver's criminal negligence is negligent homicide under 14:32.

What vehicular homicide requires (14:32.1)

"A. Vehicular homicide is the killing of a human being caused proximately or caused directly by an offender engaged in the operation of, or in actual physical control of, any motor vehicle, aircraft, watercraft, or other means of conveyance, whether or not the offender had the intent to cause death or great bodily harm, whenever any of the following conditions exists and such condition was a contributing factor to the killing: (1) The operator is impaired by alcoholic beverages as determined by chemical tests administered under the provisions of R.S. 32:662. (2) The operator's blood alcohol concentration is 0.08 percent or more by weight based upon grams of alcohol per one hundred cubic centimeters of blood. (3)(a) The operator is impaired by any other drug, combination of drugs, or combination of alcohol and drugs. ... (4) The operator is impaired by alcoholic beverages. (5) The operator's blood has any detectable amount of any controlled dangerous substance listed in Schedule I, II, III, or IV as set forth in R.S. 40:964, or a metabolite of such controlled dangerous substance, that has not been medically ordered or prescribed for the individual." La. R.S. 14:32.1(A)

The listed condition must have been "a contributing factor to the killing." Act 662 of 2024 repealed two former paragraphs, (A)(6) and (A)(7).

Vehicular homicide sentences

• Range and fine. A fine of "not less than two thousand dollars nor more than fifteen thousand dollars" and imprisonment "with or without hard labor for not less than five years nor more than thirty years" (14:32.1(B)).
• Mandatory time. "At least three years of the sentence of imprisonment shall be imposed without benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence." The minimum rises to five years if the operator's blood alcohol concentration is 0.15 percent or more, or if the offender was previously convicted of a violation of R.S. 14:98 (driving while intoxicated). For offenses on or after August 1, 2024, parole is not available at all outside narrow exceptions (see the sentencing section).
• Crime of violence above 0.20. The offender is "sentenced as an offender convicted of a crime of violence" if the blood alcohol concentration at the time of the offense exceeds 0.20 percent (14:32.1(C)); the crime-of-violence list in 14:2(B)(46) names vehicular homicide at that level.
• Two or more deaths. If the offense causes the death of two or more human beings, "the offender shall be sentenced separately for each victim, and such sentences shall run consecutively," and for counting deaths "a human being includes an unborn child" (14:32.1(D)).

Licence suspension

Under La. R.S. 32:414(B)(1), the department "shall forthwith suspend the license of any person, for a period of twenty-four months," on a conviction, guilty plea and sentence, or bail forfeiture for "Manslaughter, vehicular homicide, third degree feticide, as provided in R.S. 14:32.8(A)(2), or negligent homicide resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle." For DWI penalties when no one died, see Louisiana DUI laws.

Hit-and-run deaths (14:100)

When "death or serious bodily injury is a direct result of the accident," the driver "knew or should have known that death or serious bodily injury has occurred," and the driver's vehicle was directly involved, hit-and-run driving carries a fine of up to $5,000 or imprisonment "for not less than two years nor more than ten years, two of which shall be served without the benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence, or both" (14:100(C)(2)). Act 124 of 2025, effective August 1, 2025, created the two-year minimum. Act 890 of 2026 (the Christina Larsen Act), effective August 1, 2026, adds that if the victim is a pedestrian or a bicyclist, "at least two years of the sentence imposed shall be served without the benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence," and, in the 14:100(C)(3) tier (5 to 20 years for a driver previously convicted of DWI on two or more occasions within ten years, of vehicular homicide, or of vehicular negligent injuring or first degree vehicular negligent injuring), at least five years served without the benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence when the victim is a pedestrian or bicyclist. Act 86 of 2026 (Jody's Law), also effective August 1, 2026, set bail factors and notification protocols without changing the sentences. See Louisiana hit-and-run laws for the duties at a crash scene.

Fleeing police (14:108.1)

Aggravated flight from an officer has no grade for a resulting death. It carries up to 10 years at hard labor and a fine of up to $2,000, and when the flight "results in serious bodily injury," 2 to 15 years at hard labor "without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence." Act 305 of 2024, effective August 1, 2024, raised those maximums from 5 and 10 years, and Act 349 of 2026, effective August 1, 2026, added the two-year minimum for the serious-bodily-injury form.

Other homicide offenses below murder

Unborn children: the feticide ladder. Louisiana grades the killing of an unborn child separately, in three degrees. First degree feticide carries up to 15 years at hard labor (14:32.6(B)). Second degree feticide, which includes a killing that would be first degree feticide but is committed "in sudden passion or heat of blood immediately caused by provocation of the mother of the unborn child sufficient to deprive an average person of his self control and cool reflection," carries up to 10 years at hard labor (14:32.7). Third degree feticide carries a fine of at least $2,000 and up to 5 years with or without hard labor (14:32.8(B)); Act 662 of 2024 also amended 14:32.8.

Drug distribution that directly causes a death. Distributing a Schedule I to V controlled dangerous substance that "is the direct cause of the death of the recipient" is second degree murder under 14:30.1(A)(3), punishable by life imprisonment at hard labor without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence; see murder laws in the United States. The 2025 manslaughter forms cover a substance that "significantly contributes to" a death.

Other offenses graded by a resulting death

• Passing a stopped school bus, resulting in death: La. R.S. 32:80(A)(2), a fine of $1,000 to $5,000, a possible licence suspension of up to 360 days (or as provided in 32:414(A)(2)), and imprisonment of up to 12 months.
• Criminal hazing resulting in serious bodily injury or death: La. R.S. 14:40.8(A)(2)(b), a fine of up to $10,000 and up to 5 years with or without hard labor.
• Criminal assistance to suicide: La. R.S. 14:32.12, up to 10 years with or without hard labor, a fine up to $10,000, or both.
• Failure to seek assistance, where the serious bodily injury results in death: La. R.S. 14:502, a fine of up to $2,000, up to 5 years with or without hard labor, or both.

Sentencing: crimes of violence, probation and child victims

• Manslaughter is a crime of violence. The enumerated list in La. R.S. 14:2(B) includes "(4) Manslaughter" and "(46) Vehicular homicide, when the operator's blood alcohol concentration exceeds 0.20 percent."
• Suspended sentences. Under La. C.Cr.P. art. 893(A)(2), "the court shall not suspend the sentence of a conviction for an offense that is designated in the court minutes as a crime of violence," except a first conviction for an offense "with a maximum prison sentence of ten years or less" that was not committed against a family or household member or dating partner. Manslaughter's maximum is 40 years, so that exception does not reach it.
• Child victims. Manslaughter of a victim under 10 carries 10 to 40 years at hard labor without probation or suspension of sentence (14:31(B)); negligent homicide of a victim under 13 carries 2 to 20 years at hard labor without probation, parole or suspension (14:32(C)(2)).
• Vehicular homicide minimums. The 3-year and 5-year terms without probation, parole or suspension apply as described above.
• Parole. For an offense committed on or after August 1, 2024, a person committed to the Department of Public Safety and Corrections is not eligible for parole except under the narrow exceptions La. R.S. 15:574.22 lists. For offenses committed from November 1, 2017 through July 31, 2024, a person convicted of a crime of violence, which includes manslaughter, with no prior crime-of-violence or sex-offense felony became eligible for parole consideration after serving 65 percent of the sentence; a second crime-of-violence conviction raised that to 75 percent, and a third or later barred parole (15:574.4(A)(1)(b)).
• Firearms. Under La. C.Cr.P. art. 893.3(E), when the finder of fact determines (or a plea agreement stipulates) that manslaughter was committed with a firearm, the court must impose at least 10 years, or at least 20 years if the firearm was discharged, up to the offense maximum and without benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence. For other felonies, including negligent homicide, art. 893.3(A) to (D) sets minimums of 2, 5, 10 or 15 years for possessing, using, discharging, or causing bodily injury with a firearm, capped at the offense maximum. Under art. 893.3(H), a court that finds such a sentence excessive must state its reasons and impose the most severe sentence that is not excessive. Act 52 of 2025, effective June 4, 2025, amended the article.
• Habitual offenders. Under La. R.S. 15:529.1, when the district attorney files an information accusing the person of a prior felony and the prior conviction falls within the statute's time limits, a second felony is punishable by one-third of the longest term up to twice the longest term for a first conviction (for manslaughter, 13 and one-third to 80 years); a third felony by one-half to twice the longest term, or life without benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence when the third felony and both prior felonies are crimes of violence; and a fourth felony by at least the longest first-conviction term, never less than 20 years, up to life, with the variations 15:529.1(A)(4) lists.

Recent changes

• August 1, 2024: Act 305 of 2024 raised the aggravated flight maximums. Act 662 of 2024 repealed vehicular homicide paragraphs (A)(6) and (A)(7) and amended third degree feticide.
• June 8, 2025: Act 169 of 2025 (House Bill 260) added the drug-distribution forms of manslaughter, 14:31(A)(4) and (A)(5). Conduct before that date is not manslaughter under those paragraphs.
• August 1, 2025: Act 124 of 2025 created the two-year minimum for hit-and-run driving with death or serious bodily injury.
• August 1, 2026: Act 466 (Senate Bill 156) raised the negligent homicide maximum from 10 to 15 years and changed the child-victim bracket from under 10 (2 to 10 years) to under 13 (2 to 20 years). Act 349 added a two-year minimum for aggravated flight causing serious bodily injury. Act 890 (the Christina Larsen Act) added the pedestrian and bicyclist floors to 14:100, and Act 86 (Jody's Law) added the hit-and-run bail provisions.

Federal law, 18 U.S.C. 1112, separately covers manslaughter on federal land and in other federal jurisdictions; the manslaughter laws hub explains it.

Related pages

• Manslaughter laws by state
• Louisiana felony and misdemeanor classes
• Louisiana DUI laws
• Louisiana hit-and-run laws
• Louisiana self-defense laws
• What is the difference between murder, homicide and manslaughter
• Texas manslaughter laws
• Mississippi manslaughter laws

This article provides general legal information about Louisiana law as of 2026-10-17. It is not legal advice. For a specific situation, contact a lawyer licensed in Louisiana.

Last updated: 2026-10-17.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the sentence for manslaughter in Louisiana?

Up to 40 years at hard labor (La. R.S. 14:31(B)). If the victim was under 10, the sentence is 10 to 40 years at hard labor without probation or suspension of sentence. Manslaughter is listed as a crime of violence in 14:2(B). A firearm finding brings a 10-year minimum (20 if discharged) under C.Cr.P. art. 893.3(E), a prior felony can raise the range under the habitual offender law (15:529.1), and for offenses on or after August 1, 2024 parole is not available outside narrow exceptions (15:574.22).

Is manslaughter a felony in Louisiana?

Yes. Manslaughter is a felony punishable by imprisonment at hard labor for up to 40 years (14:31(B)). Negligent homicide (up to 15 years for offenses on or after August 1, 2026) and vehicular homicide (5 to 30 years) are also felonies.

Does Louisiana have voluntary and involuntary manslaughter?

Not by those names. Louisiana has one manslaughter offense with several forms (14:31). The sudden passion or heat of blood form is the closest match to voluntary manslaughter; killings without intent fall under the other manslaughter forms, negligent homicide (14:32) or vehicular homicide (14:32.1).

What is the penalty for negligent homicide in Louisiana?

A fine of up to $5,000, up to 15 years with or without hard labor, or both (14:32(C)(1)). If the victim was under 13, the sentence is 2 to 20 years at hard labor without probation, parole or suspension. A death caused by a dog or other animal carries up to 10 years, a fine up to $5,000, or both (14:32(C)(3)). Act 466 of 2026 set the general figures for offenses on or after August 1, 2026; the earlier maximum was 10 years.

What is the charge for a drunk driving death in Louisiana?

Vehicular homicide under La. R.S. 14:32.1, when impairment or a BAC of 0.08 or more was a contributing factor to the killing. It carries 5 to 30 years and a $2,000 to $15,000 fine, with at least 3 years served without probation, parole or suspension (5 years at a BAC of 0.15 or more or after a prior DWI conviction). For offenses on or after August 1, 2024, parole is not available outside narrow exceptions (15:574.22).

Is a sober driver who causes a fatal crash guilty of vehicular homicide in Louisiana?

Vehicular homicide requires one of the impairment conditions in 14:32.1(A) as a contributing factor. A killing by criminal negligence without that condition falls under negligent homicide (14:32), and a conviction for negligent homicide resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle brings a 24-month licence suspension (32:414(B)(1)).

Is selling drugs that cause a death manslaughter in Louisiana?

Since June 8, 2025, distributing a Schedule I to V controlled dangerous substance that significantly contributes to the recipient's death is manslaughter (14:31(A)(4)). Distribution that is the direct cause of the death is second degree murder under 14:30.1(A)(3).