Commonwealth v. Bianco

Manslaughter, like murder, is not statutorily defined in Massachusetts. The elements of the crime are derived from common law. See Commonwealth v. Godin, 374 Mass. 120, 126 (1977). Involuntary manslaughter has been defined as “an unlawful homicide, *371unintentionally caused (1) in the commission of an unlawful act, malum in se,[1] not amounting to a felony nor likely to endanger life . . . , or (2) by an act which constitutes such a disregard of probable harmful consequences to another as to constitute wanton or reckless conduct” (citation omitted). Commonwealth v. Campbell, 352 Mass. 387, 397…