Reference no: EM133855559

Question

Carlos and Jim often took their rifles and entered a vacant field adjacent to their homes to practice target shooting. They would set up some cans and bottles on tree limbs and rocks in the field to serve as targets. One day, as they were setting up the targets, Carlos noticed that a new office building was under construction in the lot directly behind their targets. Carlos mentioned to Jim that there was a chance a stray bullet might hit the building, but Jim assured Carlos that no one would be occupying the building yet since it was still under construction, and since it was Sunday no construction workers would be on site. For those reasons Jim felt it was safe to shoot at the targets they had set up. Carlos took aim at the targets and fired off several rounds of ammunition. One of the bullets Carlos fired missed the target and struck and killed a homeless man who was sleeping inside the unfinished office building. Carlos is most likely guilty of:

a) murder, because Carlos was aware of the existence of the building and he fired the shot that killed the homeless man inside.

b) voluntary manslaughter, because Carlos killed the homeless man by mistake.

c) involuntary manslaughter, because Carlos' criminal negligence caused the death of the homeless man.

d) no crime, because criminal negligence is not enough to justify any murder or manslaughter charge.