manslaughter
Intentional killing under Danish law, punishable by 5 years' imprisonment to life
Manslaughter (manddrab) is, under Danish law, the term for an intentional act of killing another human being. The perpetrator deliberately and with intent causes the death of another person. Manslaughter constitutes the central penal provision on homicide in Danish criminal law.
The decisive legal element is the requirement of intent. The perpetrator must have intended to kill the victim, or at the very least have accepted that death would result from the act. If intent as to death is absent, the matter will typically be assessed under other provisions on violence or on negligent manslaughter, depending on the specific circumstances of the case.
The penalty range for manslaughter is imprisonment from 5 years to life. The actual sentence is determined by the court on the basis of the circumstances of the case, including the gravity of the offence, the perpetrator's motive and method, and personal circumstances. Life sentences are imposed in the most serious cases.
Manslaughter is distinguished from killings committed under mitigating circumstances, which may carry a milder penalty, and from particularly bestial or aggravated forms of homicide. The intentional act of killing is one of the most serious offences in Danish law and is given high priority in law enforcement.
