Manslaughter Attorney in Georgetown, TX

Former Prosecutors Defending Manslaughter Cases in Williamson County

A manslaughter charge in Texas is a second-degree felony carrying 2 to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000. The prosecution doesn’t need to prove you intended to kill anyone. Under Texas Penal Code 19.04, reckless conduct that causes a death is enough to send the case to a felony district court. At Winters & Chidester, we handle manslaughter and serious violent felony defense in Georgetown and throughout Williamson County, and we know how these cases are built because we built them ourselves as prosecutors.

James Winters and Veronica Chidester both served as Texas county prosecutors before entering private practice, handling manslaughter and serious violent felony cases from the other side of the courtroom. That background gives us a direct view into how the Williamson County District Attorney approaches recklessness cases and what evidence they rely on. We bring 20 years of combined criminal justice experience to every defense we prepare.

If you or someone you know is facing a manslaughter charge in Georgetown, contact Winters & Chidester now for a free consultation. We serve clients in English and Spanish. Call (512) 961-4555.

How Texas Defines Manslaughter

Texas Penal Code 19.04 defines manslaughter as recklessly causing the death of another individual. Recklessness, under Penal Code 6.03(c), means the person was aware of a substantial and unjustifiable risk and consciously chose to disregard it. That distinction matters because it sets manslaughter apart from both murder and criminally negligent homicide.

Murder requires the prosecution to prove intent or knowledge. Criminally negligent homicide sits below manslaughter and applies when a person should have perceived the risk but failed to. Manslaughter occupies the middle ground: awareness of the risk, followed by a decision to ignore it. Texas doesn’t divide these charges into voluntary and involuntary categories the way many states do. Both concepts fall under the single manslaughter statute. Intoxication manslaughter, defined separately under Penal Code 49.08, covers deaths caused while operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol and carries its own distinct penalties.

Manslaughter Penalties in Texas

The standard sentencing range for a manslaughter conviction is 2 to 20 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and a fine of up to $10,000. Texas imposes no statute of limitations on homicide charges, including manslaughter, and charges can arise through plea negotiations when a case originates as a murder indictment.

Certain circumstances can elevate a manslaughter charge to a first-degree felony, which carries up to 99 years or life in prison. Under legislation passed during the 88th Texas Legislature in 2023, a death resulting from damage to a critical infrastructure facility can trigger that enhancement. Intoxication manslaughter is also elevated to a first-degree felony when the victim was a peace officer, firefighter, or EMS personnel acting in an official capacity.

Prosecutorial Experience Meets Georgetown Manslaughter Defense

Williamson County felony cases are generally prosecuted by the Williamson County District Attorney and may be heard in the 26th, 277th, or 368th District Court at the Williamson County Justice Center in Georgetown. Knowing the courthouse is one thing. Knowing how prosecutors decide how to charge a case, what evidence to prioritize, and where to push at trial is something different.

James Winters spent nearly 10 years prosecuting misdemeanor and felony cases in Travis County and served as a felony prosecutor in Bell County before moving to defense. Veronica Chidester prosecuted at the Texas Attorney General’s Office, the Travis County Attorney’s Office, and the Travis County District Attorney’s Office, where she served as a chief misdemeanor and family violence prosecutor. Together, they’ve handled thousands of cases, including felony matters at every stage of the process. That experience shapes how we evaluate charging decisions, identify weaknesses in the state’s evidence, and build defenses for our clients facing manslaughter charges in Georgetown.

Defense Strategies in Texas Manslaughter Cases

Every manslaughter case turns on a specific question: Did the defendant consciously disregard a substantial and unjustifiable risk? The prosecution must prove that beyond a reasonable doubt. There are several ways to challenge it.

• Challenging recklessness: If the evidence doesn’t support conscious disregard of a known risk, the recklessness standard may not be met.
• Accident as a defense: A death that was genuinely accidental, with no reckless disregard, is legally distinct from manslaughter under Texas law.
• Self-defense and justification: Texas’s stand-your-ground provisions may apply when a defendant acted to protect themselves or another person from serious harm or death.
• Challenging evidence: We can examine whether law enforcement followed proper procedure, whether witness testimony is reliable, and whether physical evidence was lawfully collected.
• Independent investigation: Early defense investigation, including accident reconstruction where applicable, can surface facts the prosecution may not have fully developed.
• Charge reduction through negotiation: Depending on the evidence, a manslaughter charge may be negotiable to criminally negligent homicide or, in some circumstances, to assault.

Talk to a Georgetown Manslaughter Lawyer Today

Winters & Chidester represents clients in Georgetown, Hutto, Cedar Park, Leander, Round Rock, Pflugerville, and throughout Williamson County. We offer free consultations and work with clients in English and Spanish. Call (512) 961-4555 to speak with a manslaughter attorney in Georgetown about your situation.