Houston, TX criminal defense attorney Leslie Rebescher explains how manslaughter is different from murder under Texas law. She explains that manslaughter differs from murder because the two crimes involve different mental states, or mens rea. For murder, the act must be intentional or knowing—meaning the person must deliberately seek to kill someone and be aware that their actions will cause death. Manslaughter, on the other hand, involves recklessness. A person can recklessly cause another’s death by being aware of the risks their actions create and consciously disregarding them. She notes that this often occurs in cases involving DWI or drunk driving, where someone’s reckless behavior behind the wheel results in a fatal accident, leading to manslaughter charges.