In the United States, this is a lesser version of felony murder and covers a person who causes the death of another while committing a misdemeanor: a violation of the law that does not rise to the level of a felony. This may automatically lead to a conviction for the death, if the misdemeanor involved a law designed to protect human life. Many safety laws are strict liability, meaning that a person can be convicted regardless of mens rea. Vehicular manslaughter is a kind of misdemeanor manslaughter, which holds persons liable for any death that occurs because of a violation of traffic safety laws.

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