Voluntary manslaughter

21-5404. Voluntary manslaughter. (a) Voluntary manslaughter is knowingly killing a human being committed: (1) Upon a sudden quarrel or in the heat of passion; or (2) upon an unreasonable but honest belief that circumstances existed that justified use of deadly force under K.S.A. 21-5222, 21-5223 or 21-5225, and amendments thereto. (b) Voluntary manslaughter is a severity level 3, person felony. History: L. 2010, ch. 136, § 39; L. 2011, ch. 30, § 17; July 1. Source or Prior Law: 21-3403. CASE ANNOTATIONS 1. Failure to instruct jury on imperfect self-defense not cause to overrule verdict. State v. Seba, 305 Kan. 185, 208, 380 P.3d 209 (2016). 2. District court correctly denied voluntary manslaughter instruction where no reasonable juror would conclude, based on the evidence, that defendant was motivated by a sudden quarrel or heat of passion. State v. Green, 311 Kan. 960, 987, 469 P.3d 1228 (2020). 3. A compulsion defense cannot be made if coercion or duress was not present, imminent and impending or if there was a reasonable opportunity to avoid doing the thing or to escape. State v. Lowry, 317 Kan. 89, 99, 524 P.3d 416 (2023). 4. Involuntary manslaughter-DUI is excluded from the list of offenses that trigger automatic registration as a violent offender under Kansas offender registration act. Kansas v. Buzzini, 63 Kan. App. 2d 335, 340, 528 P.3d 1024 (2023). Previous | Next LEGISLATIVE COORDINATING COUNCIL General Policies 2026 Archived LCC Documents Archived LCC Meetings REVISOR OF STATUTES Archived Session Documents Archived School Finance Documents USEFUL LINKS Session Laws Kansas Administrative Regulations OTHER LEGISLATIVE SITES Kansas Legislature Administrative Services Division of Post Audit Research Department Contact Us PDF Help www.ksrevisor.gov 2026