Common Misconceptions about Vehicular Homicide and Manslaughter Charges

Interviewer: What are some common misconceptions that people have about vehicular homicide cases?

Paul Cramm: I think anytime a person is involved in an accident where there is loss of life, we all understand the seriousness of that. I think that many clients that I have worked with who have been involved in those types of accidents are overcome with a sense of guilt and a sense of grief. They just don’t believe there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Many People Feel Charges of Vehicular Homicide and Manslaughter Are Not Defensible

If they were behind the wheel and accident occurred and a passenger in their vehicle or a driver of another vehicle has died as a result of that accident, I see most people as just being overwhelmed with a sense of responsibility and guilt. They are consumed with guilt to the point where they don’t believe there is a viable defense.

Sometimes, it takes a lot of working one-on-one with the client for them to understand that perhaps the accident was not the result of criminal conduct. They are not automatically criminally culpable for what has happened.

I think that oftentimes people are awfully hard on themselves. They need to be able to step back from the incident and realize that perhaps some factors were in play that was beyond their control.