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Grading Intentional Homicide
In all of the cases in this section, the defendant intentionally killed the victim. However we will see that these killings fall into three possible categories -- first degree murder, second degree murder, and voluntary manslaughter. We will focus on the lines drawn between these categories.
Remember that although these cases might appear in one section of this book, they might raise issues regarding other areas of law. So, though a case might be included here to teach provocation, it might also be a good test of your understanding of premeditation and deliberation. This is a good reminder that cases don't naturally fall into categories; in the real world, one of the jobs of the lawyer is to determine, and make an argument about, what kind of case is in front of them.
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