AMENDED BY ACT 2026-64, EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 2026. SEE ACT FOR REVISED LANGUAGE.
(a) A person commits the crime of manslaughter if he or she does any of the following:
(1) Recklessly causes the death of another person.
(2) Causes the death of another person under circumstances that would constitute murder under Section 13A-6-2; except, that he or she causes the death due to a sudden heat of passion caused by provocation recognized by law, and before a reasonable time for the passion to cool and for reason to reassert itself.
(3)a. Knowingly sells, furnishes, gives away, delivers, or distributes a controlled substance in violation of Section 13A-12-211, which contains fentanyl, any mixture containing fentanyl, any synthetic controlled substance fentanyl, or any synthetic controlled substance fentanyl analogue as described in Sections 20-2-23 and 20-2-25, and the person to whom the controlled substance is sold, furnished, given, delivered, or distributed dies as a proximate result of the use of the controlled substance; provided, nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to apply to a licensed physician engaged in the practice of medicine, a licensed pharmacist engaged in the practice of pharmacy, or a licensed dentist engaged in the practice of dentistry.
b. It is not a defense to this subdivision that the person who sold, furnished, gave away, delivered, or distributed the controlled substance had no knowledge that the controlled substance contained fentanyl, any mixture containing fentanyl, any synthetic controlled substance fentanyl, or any synthetic controlled substance fentanyl analogue as described in Section 20-2-23 and 20-2-25.
(b) Manslaughter is a Class B felony.
(Acts 1977, No. 607, p. 812, §2010; Acts 1987, No. 87-713, p. 1260; Act 2023-387, §1; Act 2024-103, §1.)
Notes of Decisions
Cited in
164
cases (
10 in the last 5 years), 1981–2026 · leading case:
Ex Parte McGriff, 908 So. 2d 1024 (Ala. 2005).
Ex Parte McGriff, 908 So. 2d 1024 (Ala. 2005).
· cites it 4× “Commentary to § 13A-6-3, Code of Alabama 1975." Nelson v.”
Ex Parte McCree, 554 So. 2d 336 (Ala. 1988).
· cites it 7× “" See, also, "Code Commissioner's note" to § 13A-6-3, as amended. [3] Although the drafters of § 13A-5-6(a)(5) and (6) did not use the word, it is apparent from a careful reading of those subsections, within the context of the entire section, that they were intended as…”
Carter v. State, 843 So. 2d 812 (Ala. 2002).
· cites it 5× “) Section 13A-6-3, Ala.Code 1975, provides, in pertinent part: "(a) A person commits the crime of manslaughter if: ".”
Miller v. State, 99 So. 3d 349 (Ala. Civ. App. 2011).
· cites it 4× “Code [1975] § 13A-6-3 (Commentary at 158): “‘Under § 13A-6-3(a)(2), it was originally proposed to replace the “heat of passion” due to provocation criterion with “extreme mental or emotional disturbance,” .”
Perkins v. State, 808 So. 2d 1041 (Ala. Crim. App. 1999).
· cites it 2× “52), and "satisfied all the elements of § 13A-6-3(a)(1), [Ala.Code 1975,] defining reckless manslaughter.”
State v. Cocio, 709 P.2d 1336 (Ariz. 1985).
· cites it 2× “In Alabama a manslaughter conviction with one prior conviction could result in a two- to twenty-five-year sentence, see Ala. Code §§ 13A-6-3(a)(2), 13A-5-9 (with two prior convictions ten years to life); in *284 Mississippi two to twenty years.”
Sheffield v. State, 87 So. 3d 607 (Ala. Crim. App. 2010).
· cites it 4× “Section 13A-2-2(3), defining “recklessly,” provides: “A person acts recklessly with respect to a result or to a circumstance described by a statute defining an offense when he is aware of and consciously disregards a substantial and unjustifiable risk that the result will occur…”
Pardue v. State, 571 So. 2d 320 (Ala. Crim. App. 1989).
· cites it 2× “1988) (Subsections (4) and (5) of Ala. Code 1975, § 13A-6-3, which enhance the sentence for the commission of a felony involving the use of a firearm or deadly weapon, apply only to the sentencing of those defendants found guilty of a felony whose commission required an intent…”
Clancy v. State, 886 So. 2d 166 (Ala. Crim. App. 2003).
· cites it 2× “See § 13A-6-3, Ala.Code 1975. [1] The trial court sentenced Clancy to 15 years' imprisonment.”
Chestang v. State, 837 So. 2d 867 (Ala. Crim. App. 2001).
· cites it 3× “A jury found him guilty of the lesser-included offense of reckless manslaughter, see § 13A-6-3(a)(1), Ala.Code 1975. The appellant was sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment.”
— Ala. Code § 13A-6-3(B) — 1 case
— Ala. Code § 13A-6-3(a) — 5 cases
— Ala. Code § 13A-6-3(a)(1) — 35 cases
Perkins v. State, 808 So. 2d 1041 (Ala. Crim. App. 1999).
“52), and "satisfied all the elements of § 13A-6-3(a)(1), [Ala.Code 1975,] defining reckless manslaughter.”
Ex Parte McCree, 554 So. 2d 336 (Ala. 1988).
“" See, also, "Code Commissioner's note" to § 13A-6-3, as amended. [3] Although the drafters of § 13A-5-6(a)(5) and (6) did not use the word, it is apparent from a careful reading of those subsections, within the context of the entire section, that they were intended as…”
Chestang v. State, 837 So. 2d 867 (Ala. Crim. App. 2001).
“A jury found him guilty of the lesser-included offense of reckless manslaughter, see § 13A-6-3(a)(1), Ala.Code 1975. The appellant was sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment.”
— Ala. Code § 13A-6-3(a)(2) — 35 cases
Carter v. State, 843 So. 2d 812 (Ala. 2002).
“) Section 13A-6-3, Ala.Code 1975, provides, in pertinent part: "(a) A person commits the crime of manslaughter if: ".”
Ex Parte McGriff, 908 So. 2d 1024 (Ala. 2005).
“Commentary to § 13A-6-3, Code of Alabama 1975." Nelson v.”
State v. Cocio, 709 P.2d 1336 (Ariz. 1985).
“In Alabama a manslaughter conviction with one prior conviction could result in a two- to twenty-five-year sentence, see Ala. Code §§ 13A-6-3(a)(2), 13A-5-9 (with two prior convictions ten years to life); in *284 Mississippi two to twenty years.”
Miller v. State, 99 So. 3d 349 (Ala. Civ. App. 2011).
“Code [1975] § 13A-6-3 (Commentary at 158): “‘Under § 13A-6-3(a)(2), it was originally proposed to replace the “heat of passion” due to provocation criterion with “extreme mental or emotional disturbance,” .”
— Ala. Code § 13A-6-3(a)(l) — 27 cases
Sheffield v. State, 87 So. 3d 607 (Ala. Crim. App. 2010).
“Section 13A-2-2(3), defining “recklessly,” provides: “A person acts recklessly with respect to a result or to a circumstance described by a statute defining an offense when he is aware of and consciously disregards a substantial and unjustifiable risk that the result will occur…”
— Ala. Code § 13A-6-3(a)(l)(1975) — 1 case
— Ala. Code § 13A-6-3(b) — 9 cases
Ex Parte McCree, 554 So. 2d 336 (Ala. 1988).
“" See, also, "Code Commissioner's note" to § 13A-6-3, as amended. [3] Although the drafters of § 13A-5-6(a)(5) and (6) did not use the word, it is apparent from a careful reading of those subsections, within the context of the entire section, that they were intended as…”
Chestang v. State, 837 So. 2d 867 (Ala. Crim. App. 2001).
“A jury found him guilty of the lesser-included offense of reckless manslaughter, see § 13A-6-3(a)(1), Ala.Code 1975. The appellant was sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment.”
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