ORS 163.118: Manslaughter in the first degree.
Edition: 2025 EditionEffective: 2026-01-01Last verified: 2026-09-07
(1) Criminal homicide constitutes manslaughter in the first degree when: (a) It is committed recklessly under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life; (b) It is committed intentionally by a defendant under the influence of extreme emotional disturbance as provided in ORS 163.135, which constitutes a mitigating circumstance reducing the homicide that would otherwise be murder to manslaughter in the first degree and need not be proved in any prosecution; (c) A person recklessly causes the death of a child under 14 years of age or a dependent person, as defined in ORS 163.205, and: (A) The person has previously engaged in a pattern or practice of assault or torture of the victim or another child under 14 years of age or a dependent person; or (B) The person causes the death by neglect or maltreatment, as defined in ORS 163.115; or (d) It is committed recklessly or with criminal negligence by a person operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicants in violation of ORS 813.010 and: (A) In the 10 years prior to the date of the current offense the person has been convicted of at least three of any of the following offenses in any combination: (i) Driving under the influence of intoxicants in violation of ORS 813.010, or its statutory counterpart in another jurisdiction; (ii) A driving under the influence of intoxicants offense in another jurisdiction that involved the impaired driving or operation of a vehicle, an aircraft or a boat due to the use of intoxicants or any combination thereof; or (iii) An offense in another jurisdiction that involved driving or operating a vehicle, an aircraft or a boat while having a blood alcohol content above that jurisdiction’s permissible blood alcohol content; or (B)(i) The person has a previous conviction for any of the crimes described in subsection (2) of this section, or their statutory counterparts in any jurisdiction; and (ii) The victim’s serious physical injury in the previous conviction was caused by the person driving a motor vehicle. (2) The previous convictions to which subsection (1)(d)(B) of this section applies are: (a) Assault in the first degree under ORS 163.185; (b) Assault in the second degree under ORS 163.175; or (c) Assault in the third degree under ORS 163.165. (3) Manslaughter in the first degree is a Class A felony. (4) It is an affirmative defense to a charge of violating: (a) Subsection (1)(c)(B) of this section that the victim was a dependent person who was at least 18 years of age and was under care or treatment solely by spiritual means pursuant to the religious beliefs or practices of the dependent person or the guardian of the dependent person. (b) Subsection (1)(d)(B) of this section that the defendant was not under the influence of intoxicants at the time of the conduct that resulted in the previous conviction. (5) As used in this section, “intoxicant” has the meaning given that term in ORS 801.321. [1975 c.577 §2; 1981 c.873 §6; 1997 c.850 §3; 2007 c.867 §2; 2011 c.291 §2; 2021 c.480 §4; 2023 c.498 §23]
This rule cites
- ORS 163.135 — resolved
- ORS 163.205 — resolved
- ORS 163.115 — resolved
- ORS 813.010 — resolved
- ORS 163.185 — resolved
- ORS 163.175 — resolved
- ORS 163.165 — resolved
- ORS 801.321 — resolved
Cited by
- ORS 40.355: Rule 609. Impeachment by evidence of conviction of crime; exceptions.
- ORS 133.705: Definitions for ORS 133.705 to 133.717.
- ORS 137.633: Earned reduction of supervision period; rules.
- ORS 137.635: Determinate sentences required for certain felony convictions.
- ORS 137.700: Offenses requiring imposition of mandatory minimum sentences.
- ORS 137.707: Mandatory minimum sentences for certain juvenile offenders waived to adult court; lesser included offenses; return to juvenile court.
- ORS 163.107: Murder in the first degree; sentence of life imprisonment required; minimum term.
- ORS 163.115: Murder in the second degree; affirmative defense to certain felony murders; sentence of life imprisonment required; minimum term.
- ORS 163.149: Aggravated vehicular homicide.
- ORS 163.185: Assault in the first degree.
- ORS 163.707: Forfeiture of motor vehicle used in drive-by shooting.
- ORS 166.715: Definitions for ORS 166.715 to 166.735.
- ORS 443.004: Criminal records check required for employees and volunteers providing direct care; exceptions; rules.
- OAR 137-140-0020: Definitions
- OAR 213-003-0001: Definitions
- OAR 213-017-0002: Crime Category 10
- OAR 291-062-0130: Adult in Custody Eligibility
- OAR 291-063-0120: Procedures
- OAR 291-209-0030: Procedures
- OAR 407-007-0041: Potentially Disqualifying Convictions
- OAR 407-007-0281: Temporary rule language in effect until 12/01/2026. Potentially Disqualifying Convictions
- OAR 413-208-0015: Assessment of Criminal Convictions
- OAR 414-061-0045: Disqualifying Conditions for Enrollment
- OAR 416-410-0020: Allocation of Close-custody Beds
- OAR 575-007-0280: Potentially Disqualifying Crimes
- OAR 836-072-0020: Crimes Relevant to a Fitness Determination
- OAR 863-005-0030: Crimes Relevant to a Criminal Background Fitness Determination
Official source: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/ors/ors163.html