Owner of animal that kills human being guilty of manslaughter under certain circumstances penalty

Vegas Lawyer Explains Penalty for Owner of Animal That Kills

Homicide is unlawful in Nevada and Chapter 200 of Title 15 defines different homicide offenses and sets forth the penalties that apply to defendants who have been convicted of those crimes. While some homicide offenses like murder require that prosecutors show intent, there are other situations where defendants can be liable for a death even if the defendant did not mean for anyone to be killed.

One such situation occurs when a person owns an animal that causes the death of another human being. As Nevada Revised Statute section 200.260 establishes, there are certain circumstances in which an owner of an animal that kills can be charged with manslaughter.

If you own an animal that has caused a death to occur, it is imperative that you reach out to a Vegas criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible. LV Criminal Defense can assist you in evaluating the prosecutor’s case against you and can help you to determine if you can fight charges or if you should try to negotiate a plea agreement to limit the possible penalties that could be imposed. We can help with both fighting for acquittals and negotiating for favorable pleas so you should contact our firm for assistance as early as possible in your case.

Nevada Revised Statute section 200.240: Manslaughter Charges for an Owner of an Animal That Kills a Human Being

According to Nevada Revised Statute section 200.240, the owner of an animal or the custodian of an animal which causes the death of another human being could be charged with a crime if the animal is a vicious and dangerous one. In order to be charged under N.R.S. 200.240, the owner must have known the animal’s propensity to be vicious or dangerous and must have allowed the animal to be at large despite the danger.

In order for the owner to be charged, the at large animal must also cause the death of a human being who is not at fault. Provided the prosecutor is able to prove all of these elements of the crime, including that the owner willfully or negligently allowed the animal to run free despite knowing the risks, then the animal’s owner could be charged with manslaughter.

In this case, the offense of manslaughter is charged as a a Category D felony and the defendant could face prison time along with being left with a felony conviction on his record. For a category D felony, a defendant could generally be imprisoned by a period of no less than one year and no longer than four years. The defendant could also be fined up to $5,000.

A conviction for a felony offense can have far-reaching consequences in terms of the rights of the convicted defendant and the future career opportunities the defendant may have available to him.