Murder, attempted murder and manslaughter
Part of the Crime topic
Understand what murder, attempted murder and manslaughter are, and what you must do and cannot do to follow the law in Queensland.
In short
Murder, attempted murder and manslaughter are the intentional killing, attempted killing and accidental killing of a person. They are the most serious crimes against another person in Queensland.
There are severe consequences for breaking the law. Penalties for these offences include up to life imprisonment.
This page provides a summary of Queensland's murder, attempted murder and manslaughter laws. It's not exhaustive and should not be considered legal advice. Consult with a qualified legal professional for comprehensive information or matter-specific advice.
You must
To comply with the law in Queensland you must:
- Report any knowledge of these crimes to police immediately.
You cannot
To comply with the law in Queensland you cannot:
- Intentionally or recklessly, through careless or negligent actions, kill another person (murder) (mansalughter).
- Attempt to unlawfully kill another person by any means (attempted murder).
- Assist another person in escaping justice before or after they have committed murder (accessory after the fact).
- Conspire to commit murder or threaten to kill another person.
Exceptions and special circumstances
You can be charged with manslaughter instead of murder if the killing was either:
- unintentional
- occurred under extreme provocation or diminished responsibility
- occured in response to serious domestice violence where you reasonably believed it was necessary to protect yourself from dealth or grievous bodily harm.