1. A person commits involuntary manslaughter punishable as:
a. A class “D” felony when the person unintentionally causes the death of another person
by the commission of a public offense other than a forcible felony or escape.
b. An aggravated misdemeanor when the person unintentionally causes the death of
another person by the commission of an act in a manner likely to cause death or serious
injury.
2. Involuntary manslaughter as defined in this section is an included offense under an
indictment for murder in the first or second degree or voluntary manslaughter.
3. For purposes of determining whether a person should register as a sex offender
pursuant to the provisions of chapter 692A, the fact finder shall make a determination as
provided in section 692A.126.
[C51, §2576; R60, §4199; C73, §3856; C97, §4751; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §12919, 12920; C46,
50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, §690.10, 690.11; C79, 81, §707.5]
2009 Acts, ch 119, §51; 2013 Acts, ch 90, §225
Referred to in §321.208, 321J.10, 331.802, 692A.102, 692A.126, 901C.3, 910.3A\n\n 707.6 Civil liability.
1. A person who injures or causes the death of the aggressor through application of\n\nTue Dec 09 21:56:41 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 707 (30, 1)
3 HOMICIDE AND RELATED CRIMES, §707.6A\n\nreasonable force in defense of the person’s person or property shall not be held civilly liable
for such injury or death.
2. A person who injures or causes the death of the aggressor through application of
reasonable force in defense of a second person shall not be held civilly liable for such injury
or death.
[C79, 81, §707.6]
2017 Acts, ch 69, §44
\n
Notes of Decisions
Cited in
85
cases (
11 in the last 5 years), 1978–2026 · leading case:
State v. Conner, 292 N.W.2d 682 (Iowa 1980).
State v. Conner, 292 N.W.2d 682 (Iowa 1980).
· cites it 148× “The legislative history of section 707.5 does not support injection of a recklessness requirement; on the contrary it shows that the General Assembly turned away from the common-law definition of involuntary manslaughter containing the recklessness element.”
State v. Inger, 292 N.W.2d 119 (Iowa 1980).
· cites it 57× “Section 707.5 on involuntary manslaughter provides: *123 1.”
State v. Royer, 436 N.W.2d 637 (Iowa 1989).
· cites it 28× “Specifically, defendant requested instructions on involuntary manslaughter, Iowa Code § 707.5 , under the murder counts and arson in the second degree, Iowa Code § 712.”
State v. Dvorsky, 322 N.W.2d 62 (Iowa 1982).
· cites it 20× “” See Iowa Code §§ 707.5 (1), 902.9(4). He argues that this was the only articulated reason for the sentence, and because manslaughter always involves loss of life, the court excluded from its consideration other factors that must enter the sentencing equation.”
State v. Torres, 495 N.W.2d 678 (Iowa 1993).
· cites it 18× “The court of appeals, like the district court, found sufficient evidence that the defendant's behavior in breaking the lamp was reckless.”
State v. Ware, 338 N.W.2d 707 (Iowa 1983).
· cites it 16× “” Iowa Code § 707.5 (1) (1981) (Emphasis added).”
State v. Rohm, 609 N.W.2d 504 (Iowa 2000).
· cites it 14× “" See Iowa Code § 707.5 (1), (2) (1997). In this case, Rohm was charged under the commission of a public offense alternative of the crime.”
State v. McFadden, 320 N.W.2d 608 (Iowa 1982).
· cites it 13× “Defendant was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter, a violation of section 707.5(1), The Code 1979. Having waived a jury, defendant was tried to the court and convicted and sentenced on both counts.”
State v. Wissing, 528 N.W.2d 561 (Iowa 1995).
· cites it 12× “Iowa Code §§ 707.5 (1), 707.6A(1). At post-trial proceeding, Wissing admitted he had two prior felony convictions.”
State of Iowa v. Damion John Seats, 865 N.W.2d 545 (Iowa 2015).
· cites it 4× “He had just begun to attend the alternative school in Mason City for twelfth grade at 3Wellssubsequently entered into a plea agreement under which he pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter, see Iowa Code § 707.5 , and first-degree robbery, see id.”
State v. Klawonn, 609 N.W.2d 515 (Iowa 2000).
· cites it 8× “Ryan Klawonn appeals the judgment and sentence imposed by the district court following his conviction for involuntary manslaughter in violation of Iowa Code section 707.5(1) (1997). He claims that portion of the sentence which requires him to pay $150,000 in victim restitution…”
State v. Marti, 290 N.W.2d 570 (Iowa 1980).
· cites it 6× “Defendant was subsequently indicted for murder in the second degree, but convicted by a jury of the lesser included offense of involuntary manslaughter, in violation of section 707.5(2), Supplement to the Code 1977.”
— Iowa Code § 707.5(1) — 42 cases
State v. Conner, 292 N.W.2d 682 (Iowa 1980).
“The legislative history of section 707.5 does not support injection of a recklessness requirement; on the contrary it shows that the General Assembly turned away from the common-law definition of involuntary manslaughter containing the recklessness element.”
State v. Inger, 292 N.W.2d 119 (Iowa 1980).
“Section 707.5 on involuntary manslaughter provides: *123 1.”
State v. McFadden, 320 N.W.2d 608 (Iowa 1982).
“Defendant was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter, a violation of section 707.5(1), The Code 1979. Having waived a jury, defendant was tried to the court and convicted and sentenced on both counts.”
State v. Klawonn, 609 N.W.2d 515 (Iowa 2000).
“Ryan Klawonn appeals the judgment and sentence imposed by the district court following his conviction for involuntary manslaughter in violation of Iowa Code section 707.5(1) (1997). He claims that portion of the sentence which requires him to pay $150,000 in victim restitution…”
State v. Royer, 436 N.W.2d 637 (Iowa 1989).
“Specifically, defendant requested instructions on involuntary manslaughter, Iowa Code § 707.5 , under the murder counts and arson in the second degree, Iowa Code § 712.”
— Iowa Code § 707.5(1)(a) — 6 cases
— Iowa Code § 707.5(1)(b) — 4 cases
— Iowa Code § 707.5(2) — 18 cases
State v. Conner, 292 N.W.2d 682 (Iowa 1980).
“The legislative history of section 707.5 does not support injection of a recklessness requirement; on the contrary it shows that the General Assembly turned away from the common-law definition of involuntary manslaughter containing the recklessness element.”
State v. Inger, 292 N.W.2d 119 (Iowa 1980).
“Section 707.5 on involuntary manslaughter provides: *123 1.”
State v. Dvorsky, 322 N.W.2d 62 (Iowa 1982).
“” See Iowa Code §§ 707.5 (1), 902.9(4). He argues that this was the only articulated reason for the sentence, and because manslaughter always involves loss of life, the court excluded from its consideration other factors that must enter the sentencing equation.”
State v. Marti, 290 N.W.2d 570 (Iowa 1980).
“Defendant was subsequently indicted for murder in the second degree, but convicted by a jury of the lesser included offense of involuntary manslaughter, in violation of section 707.5(2), Supplement to the Code 1977.”
State v. Royer, 436 N.W.2d 637 (Iowa 1989).
“Specifically, defendant requested instructions on involuntary manslaughter, Iowa Code § 707.5 , under the murder counts and arson in the second degree, Iowa Code § 712.”
— Iowa Code § 707.5(l) — 1 case
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the
Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and
treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.