K.S.A. » Chapter 21
Kansas Statutes Annotated

K.S.A. § 21-5403 (2026)

Murder in the second degree

✓ current as of May 2026
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21-5403. Murder in the second degree. (a) Murder in the second degree is the killing of a human being committed:

(1) Intentionally; or

(2) unintentionally but recklessly under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life.

(b) Murder in the second degree as defined in:

(1) Subsection (a)(1) is a severity level 1, person felony; and

(2) subsection (a)(2) is a severity level 2, person felony.

History: L. 2010, ch. 136, § 38; July 1, 2011.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 57 cases (32 in the last 5 years), 2014–2026 · leading case: State v. Gonzalez, 412 P.3d 968 (Kan. 2018).
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State v. Gonzalez, 412 P.3d 968 (Kan. 2018). · cites it 6× “After instructing the jury on intentional second-degree murder, which is not relevant here, the trial court instructed on unintentional second-degree murder under K.S.A. 2016 Supp. 21-5403(a)(2) and involuntary manslaughter under K.”
State v. James, 443 P.3d 1063 (Kan. 2019). · cites it 3× “See K.S.A. 2018 Supp. 21-5403(a)(1). Mank argued that sufficient evidence supported instruction on both theories of second-degree murder.”
State v. Bernhardt, 372 P.3d 1161 (Kan. 2016). · cites it 2× “2015 Supp. 21-5109(b)(2) (all elements of lesser crime identical to some elements of greater).”
– State v. Claerhout –, 453 P.3d 855 (Kan. 2019). · cites it 3× “K.S.A. 2018 Supp. 21-5403(a)(2) defines reckless second-degree murder as the killing of a human being committed "unintentionally but recklessly under circumstances 6 manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life.”
State v. Gray, 459 P.3d 165 (Kan. 2020). “" K.S.A. 2015 Supp. 21-5403(a)(1). The only difference between the two is premeditation.”
State v. Gentry, 449 P.3d 429 (Kan. 2019). “Unintentional but reckless second-degree murder is "the killing of a human being committed .”
State v. Davis, 474 P.3d 722 (Kan. 2020). “21-5420(b)(1) (reciting being armed with a dangerous weapon as element of aggravated robbery); K.S.A. 2019 Supp. 21-5403(a)(2) (listing being reckless as element of second-degree murder); see 1 McCormick on Evidence § 185 (8th ed.”
United States v. Leland Schneider, 905 F.3d 1088 (8th Cir. 2018). “110 (a)(2) ; Kan. Stat. Ann. § 21-5403 (a)(2) ; N.H. Rev.”
State v. Colson, 480 P.3d 167 (Kan. 2021). “Discussion Voluntary manslaughter, under K.S.A. 2019 Supp. 21-5404, is a lesser included offense of intentional second-degree murder, under K.”
State v. Douglas, 490 P.3d 34 (Kan. 2021). “[i]ntentionally, and with premeditation"); K.S.A. 2020 Supp. 21-5403(a)(1) (defining second-degree intentional murder as "the killing of a human being committed .”
State v. Craig, 462 P.3d 173 (Kan. 2020). “" K.S.A. 2019 Supp. 21-5402(a)(2). The elements of second- degree intentional murder are: (1) "the killing of a human being" and (2) that killing is "committed .”
State v. Collins, 461 P.3d 828 (Kan. 2020). “See K.S.A. 2019 Supp. 21-5403(a)(1); K.S.A. 2015 Supp.”
Show all 57 citing cases →
— K.S.A. § 21-5403(a) — 4 cases
State v. Roberts, 503 P.3d 227 (Kan. 2022).
In re Wrongful Conviction of Spangler, 547 P.3d 516 (Kan. 2024).
State v. Gardner (Kan. Ct. App. 2020).
State v. Dotson, 551 P.3d 1272 (Kan. 2024).
— K.S.A. § 21-5403(a)(1) — 29 cases
State v. Gray, 459 P.3d 165 (Kan. 2020). “" K.S.A. 2015 Supp. 21-5403(a)(1). The only difference between the two is premeditation.”
State v. James, 443 P.3d 1063 (Kan. 2019). “See K.S.A. 2018 Supp. 21-5403(a)(1). Mank argued that sufficient evidence supported instruction on both theories of second-degree murder.”
State v. Colson, 480 P.3d 167 (Kan. 2021). “Discussion Voluntary manslaughter, under K.S.A. 2019 Supp. 21-5404, is a lesser included offense of intentional second-degree murder, under K.”
State v. Douglas, 490 P.3d 34 (Kan. 2021). “[i]ntentionally, and with premeditation"); K.S.A. 2020 Supp. 21-5403(a)(1) (defining second-degree intentional murder as "the killing of a human being committed .”
State v. Craig, 462 P.3d 173 (Kan. 2020). “" K.S.A. 2019 Supp. 21-5402(a)(2). The elements of second- degree intentional murder are: (1) "the killing of a human being" and (2) that killing is "committed .”
— K.S.A. § 21-5403(a)(2) — 24 cases
State v. Gonzalez, 412 P.3d 968 (Kan. 2018). “After instructing the jury on intentional second-degree murder, which is not relevant here, the trial court instructed on unintentional second-degree murder under K.S.A. 2016 Supp. 21-5403(a)(2) and involuntary manslaughter under K.”
State v. James, 443 P.3d 1063 (Kan. 2019). “See K.S.A. 2018 Supp. 21-5403(a)(1). Mank argued that sufficient evidence supported instruction on both theories of second-degree murder.”
– State v. Claerhout –, 453 P.3d 855 (Kan. 2019). “K.S.A. 2018 Supp. 21-5403(a)(2) defines reckless second-degree murder as the killing of a human being committed "unintentionally but recklessly under circumstances 6 manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life.”
State v. Gentry, 449 P.3d 429 (Kan. 2019). “Unintentional but reckless second-degree murder is "the killing of a human being committed .”
State v. Davis, 474 P.3d 722 (Kan. 2020). “21-5420(b)(1) (reciting being armed with a dangerous weapon as element of aggravated robbery); K.S.A. 2019 Supp. 21-5403(a)(2) (listing being reckless as element of second-degree murder); see 1 McCormick on Evidence § 185 (8th ed.”
— K.S.A. § 21-5403(b) — 3 cases
State v. Bernhardt, 372 P.3d 1161 (Kan. 2016). “2015 Supp. 21-5109(b)(2) (all elements of lesser crime identical to some elements of greater).”
State v. Marion, 333 P.3d 194 (Kan. Ct. App. 2014).
State v. Carter (Kan. 2016).
— K.S.A. § 21-5403(b)(1) — 1 case
State v. Lamia-Beck – Per Curiam – Affirmed – Pottawatomie (Kan. Ct. App. 2023).
— K.S.A. § 21-5403(b)(2) — 3 cases
– State v. Claerhout –, 453 P.3d 855 (Kan. 2019). “K.S.A. 2018 Supp. 21-5403(a)(2) defines reckless second-degree murder as the killing of a human being committed "unintentionally but recklessly under circumstances 6 manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life.”
State v. Deck (Kan. Ct. App. 2022).
State v. Collins (Kan. Ct. App. 2024).
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